President Trump avoided commenting on police, protesters and the death of George Floyd during an event with leaders of the pro-Trump African-American community at the White House on Wednesday.
Instead, Trump said that historically black colleges and universities "were treated very, very badly and that I treated them very well," and said that the black community "was doing very well now."
Trump and other participants also criticized the media in vitriolic terms.
Republican political consultant Raynard Jackson accused the media of "putting more poison in the black community than any drug trafficker" and "killing more blacks than any white man with a sheet on his face".
The president did not respond directly, but later added, "The media is almost 100% negative. It's incredible."
Even when the participants directed the conversation on the relations of the black community with the police, the president made no comment.
Kareem Lanier of the Coalition for Pro-Trump Urban Revitalization told the President that the problems of police abuse are deeply rooted in the African American community.
"The whole situation with this policing - this is nothing new for black people," said Lanier. "We are used to it. As a child, I was constantly harassed by the police and I was a good boy - I think I was a good boy. But this is part of our community."
After Lanier spoke, the president said his comments were "well said" and concluded the event.
Trump then only answered one question from the press, but did not answer when asked twice why the confederation should be defended.
The event was not on Trump's public calendar and was presented only as a "round table".
