WASHINGTON — Donald Trump blamed Black Lives Matter organizers Monday for pressuring black ministers to pull out of a meeting with him today in Midtown Manhattan.
Trump had planned a press conference at Trump Tower with 100 black pastors and evangelical leaders in what the Trump campaign has described as an endorsement session.
But the event was scaled back to a private meeting closed to the press after The Post reported that several invitees had no intention of backing the GOP presidential front-runner.
Trump said the pastors must have been pressured.
“I think what happened probably is it gets publicity, unfortunately … everything I do gets publicity, and probably some of the Black Lives Matter folks called them up and said, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t be meeting with Trump because he believes that all lives matter,'” Trump said on MSNBC. “We’ll see what happens.”
The Post reported on Saturday that some of the ministers were upset at being portrayed as Trump supporters and might not show up, including Brooklyn Bishop Hezekiah Walker, who said he was concerned about Trump’s promotion of “racism, bigotry and xenophobia.”
Walker, a Grammy-winning gospel singer, said he was initially open to talking to Trump, but never agreed to be listed as a supporter.
Last week, Trump ejected from his Birmingham, Alabama, rally a Black Lives Matter protester, who got roughed up by the crowd.
Trump said Monday he still expects to win endorsements from some of the ministers.
“I don’t know if it’s an endorsement. I don’t know if it’s an endorsement by some, I think probably it will be an endorsement by some,” Trump said. “I have fantastic relationships with the people. I do think that pressure was put on them when they heard there was a meeting by people who may disagree with certain things.”