Presidential Candidate Trump Declines NAACP Invitation to Speak at 107th Annual Convention

BALTIMORE, MD –  NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks issued the following statement after presidential candidate Donald Trump declined to speak at the annual convention:

“The NAACP represents millions of Americans. The NAACP represents an occasion for those running for president to speak to the nation’s most critical issues at a critical hour in this country. Speaking to thousands of our delegates at our annual convention could have been a valuable opportunity for Trump to connect on issues that have dominated the national conversation in recent years. You can’t run for president and not talk about police misconduct and police brutality. You can’t run for president and not talk about this country’s civil rights agenda. This is an important moment, and our convention is an opportunity for anyone running for president to provide a window into not only their policies, but into their heart and character as a candidate.”