‘She’s not Black. That’s what I heard:’ Janet Jackson reaffirms Trump’s fake news about Kamala Harris

Many people refuse to believe that Kamala Harris is a biracial, Indian, and Black American woman. Janet Jackson is just one of the latest victims of Trump’s fake news frenzy.

When asked about Jackson’s political stance for the 2024 Presidential Election, she responded with, “Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard—that she’s Indian. Her father’s White.” She also said that she “hasn’t watched the news in a few days.” Whoopi Goldberg came into Janet’s defense, bringing up the fact that Janet may still be grieving the loss of her brother. Tito Jackson died from a heart attack on September 15, 2024.

Janet Jackson had the chance to correct herself through a statement, but she doubled down instead. A representative named Mo Elmasri issued an apology on behalf of Janet Jackson. He claims that Jackson “respects Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian.” Jackson was quick to correct that Mo Elmasri is not her manager. She doesn’t apologize for parroting misinformation she supposedly heard.

Clearing up misinformation

In case there are still doubts, Kamala Harris is Indian and Black. Her father, Donald Harris, was an accomplished economic advisor from Jamaica. Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was an Indian woman who became a notable breast cancer researcher. 

There’s nothing wrong with giving grace to Jackson, who just lost a family member. Her comment as a public figure, however, is irresponsible. Trump supporters and Trump himself have been perpetuating the lie that Harris isn’t black. There is glaring evidence of Harris’ mixed heritage. Dozens of articles have been written about the Vice President’s family and upbringing. Why anyone would think she can’t be both Indian and black is an odd take.

Nevertheless, Trump insists on confusing voters by attacking the racial identity of Kamala Harris. That’s not surprising, given that many of his followers have even claimed that she shouldn’t be eligible to run for president because of her immigrant parents.

These lies are especially dangerous when influential celebrities and figures like Janet Jackson repeat them. Those who aren’t as invested in politics are susceptible to believing these types of narratives, even if they’re passed off as baseless rumors.