Humiliated Donald Trump forced to cancel press conference with black pastors

Many of those invited took to social media to reaffirm their stances on the Republican presidential candidate

Trump speaks at a rally in Mobile, Alabama on 21 November (Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

Donald Trump has cancelled a press conference with African American religious leaders after they complained that a private meeting with the controversial Republican was being presented as a public endorsement.

Mr Trump’s presidential campaign claimed he would receive endorsements from “many members of the Coalition of African American Ministers”, and invited journalists to a press conference after the private meeting at Trump Tower, New York.

However, several of those invited strongly denied they would endorse the Republican candidate during the event.

Los Angeles pastor Bishop Clarence McClendon said in a statement on Facebook the event was “presented not as a meeting to endorse but as a meeting to engage in dialogue” and confirmed he would not attend.

Bishop Corletta Vaughn, senior pastor of the Holy Spirit Cathedral of Faith in Detroit also clarified her attendance in a Facebook post: “Let me be clear. I was invited to attend a gathering of clergy to listen to Mr Trump on Monday November 30. I respectively [sic] declined as I do not support nor will endorse Donald Trump.”

Another pastor from Atlanta, Bishop Paul S. Morton also declined the invitation, confirming it on Twitter:

Mr Trump’s campaign has not released the names of those who will be attending, but many among the black community are condemning the attendance of any black clergy at the meeting.

Over 100 black religious leaders and scholars wrote an open letter in Ebony Magazine to attendees, calling for them to reconsider.

“Trump’s racially inaccurate, insensitive and incendiary rhetoric should give those charged with the care of the spirits and souls of black people great pause,” they wrote. “As people of God, you are surely aware of the emotional, spiritual and physical toll continued structural and state violence takes on black people.

“We are urging the Coalition of African American ministers to return to the revolutionary politics of our religious roots.”

Others took to Twitter to make their disapproval known:

The meeting comes after Mr Trump appeared to suggest his supporters were right to attack a Black Lives Matter activist who protested during his speech in Birmingham, Alabama, last weekend.

The activist was thrown to the ground, kicked and punched. Mr Trump said: “Maybe he should have been roughed up. It was disgusting what he was doing.”