Trump's racist attacks against VP Kamala Harris and Black Americans proves he's scared

Donald Trump has long relied on a familiar playbook to rile up his base: Stoke division, lean into racism and undermine the legitimacy of people of color who rise to positions of power. His recent attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, echoing the same racist birtherism conspiracy he used against President Barack Obama, are not just desperate — they’re dangerous and profoundly un-American.

Trump's playbook is as predictable as it is reprehensible. By questioning Harris’s identity and, by extension, her legitimacy, Trump isn’t just attacking her; he’s attacking millions of African Americans and other minorities who see in her a reflection of their own struggles and triumphs. He’s sending a message that no matter how high they rise, they will always be defined by the color of their skin and not the content of their character.

Trump doesn’t get to define who is and isn’t Black, who is and isn’t American, or who is and isn’t qualified to lead. The fact that he even tries is not just an insult to Kamala Harris; it’s an insult to every Black person in this country who has had their identity questioned, their credentials doubted, and their worth minimized because of the color of their skin.

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It’s not just that Trump’s behavior is beneath the role of the presidency — it’s beneath common decency. The presidency is supposed to be a unifying force, a role that embodies the best of us, that brings together Americans of all backgrounds, races and creeds. But time and again, Trump has shown that he is more interested in dividing us, in pitting us against each other, and in tearing down anyone who doesn’t fit into his narrow, exclusionary view of what it means to be American.

Trump's strategy is to undermine Black leadership

Trump’s attacks on Harris are not just racist — they are emblematic of a broader strategy to delegitimize Black leadership. By questioning her qualifications and casting doubt on her identity, he’s trying to send a message that no matter how successful or accomplished a Black person may be, they will never be good enough in his eyes. It’s a tactic that is as old as the Republic, one that has been used to keep people of color “in their place” and to perpetuate the idea that white supremacy is the natural order of things.

But Trump’s racist rhetoric is not just a throwback to the past — it’s a threat to our future. If we allow these attacks to go unchallenged, if we allow this kind of behavior to become normalized, we are complicit in the erosion of our democratic values. We cannot stand by and let Trump — or anyone else — undermine the progress we’ve made toward racial equality and justice.

Trump’s attacks on Kamala Harris are specifically designed to get racist white men motivated to outvote African Americans. I take Trump’s attacks deeply personally. I've experienced race-haters attempting to sow doubt on my talents due to the color of my skin. They invariably underestimated me.

My love of this country, my focused hard work and dedication to protecting and serving all Americans made me the best in my field. The same is true for Vice President Harris, who has earned her position through relentless effort and an unshakeable commitment to justice and equality.

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Trump is scared of Harris and is lashing out

Let us be honest, Trump is terrified. He sees in Kamala Harris a formidable opponent, a woman who represents a prosperous future of America — a future that is diverse, fosters fair play, shares our vision of freedom and unapologetically inclusive. Just like our armed forces. And so, he does what he always does when he feels threatened: he lashes out, he lies, and he tries to sow doubt and division. It's sad and pitiful that he cannot embrace what American really stands for.

But we cannot let him succeed. We cannot allow Trump to define Kamala Harris — or any of us. We must stand up to his racism and reject the idea that our worth can be defined strictly by the color of our skin. We must insist that America is better than this, that we are better than this.

Kamala Harris is the elected Vice President of the United States. She is one heartbeat away from being Commander-in-Chief.  As she demonstrated in his acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention, she is ready to be President. She is not defined by Trump, but by her own accomplishments, her own story and her own vision for this country. She is the living embodiment of the American Experiment that has spread across the world. We must not let Trump — or anyone else — take that away from her or from any of us.

African Americans, and indeed all Americans, must band together, rise above petty partisan politics, and save our nation from the threat of authoritarian rule. Let's get to work.

Malcolm Nance is a Career Intelligence Community Veteran, Counterterrorism expert, and New York Times Bestselling Author. He is a retired Senior Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy, and a veteran of the Ukrainian Army International Legion.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Trump's racist attacks towards Harris are un-American yet predictable