In historic first, NAACP to not invite Trump to convention

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The NAACP said it will not invite Donald Trump to its annual convention next month, the first time the 116-year-old civil rights organization has not asked a sitting U.S. president to attend its convention.

Derrick Johnson, president of the nonpartisan National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, accused the Republican president of working against the group’s mission.

“This has nothing to do with political party,” Johnson said in a statement on Monday. “Our mission is to advance civil rights, and the current president has made clear that his mission is to eliminate civil rights.”

Johnson said Trump has undermined American democracy by trying to consolidate power, has signed unconstitutional executive orders that oppress and undo federal civil rights protections and has turned the U.S. military against communities.

“The president is focused on uniting our country, improving our economy, securing our borders, and establishing peace across the globe,” White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said in a statement.

The NAACP has invited presidents from both Republican and Democratic parties since 1946, when it welcomed Democratic President Harry Truman, it said.

“But right now, it’s clear — Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights. He believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution. This playbook is radical and un-American,” Johnson said. 

The NAACP said it also will not invite Vice President JD Vance to its national convention July 12-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The civil rights group has filed several lawsuits against the Trump administration over diversity, equity and inclusion programs and voting rights.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis)