Speaking during a recent interview on CNN, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fl.), sounded off on attempts to discredit former President Donald Trump by going on the attack over comments he made about Vice President Kamala Harris and her race/ethnicity, saying that the freak out over Trump’s comments is “gaslighting.”

Rep. Donalds’ attacks on the rhetoric against Trump over those comments that former President Trump made about Harris’ racial identity at the National Association of Black Journalists (“NABJ”) conference in July came during a tense clash with CNN anchor Boris Sanchez in the run-up to the ABC News-hosted presidential debate hosted on September 10.

As background, Trump said during the conference, seemingly suggesting that she emphasizes the different aspects of her racial identity for her personal advantage, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now, she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

Asking Donalds about that, CNN’s Boris Sanchez asked, “He essentially said that she‘s sort of used her Blackness to advance her career, saying that he didn‘t even know that she was Black because she didn‘t put it out there. I‘m paraphrasing his remark there. She said in response that she invited him to say that to her face. Do you think Donald Trump might do that tonight?”

Donalds said that the hullabaloo over Trump’s comments is astroturfed by the media, and that normal people don’t really care about it. He told Sanchez, beginning his response, “No, because this is an issue nobody even really cares about.” Donalds then added, “He mentioned it once. He hasn‘t mentioned it again. What Donald Trump is focused on is the American people,” he continued, listing the economy, immigration and national security as key issues he would hone in on at the debate.

Continuing, Donalds said that Harris might bring it up to avoid policy spats, but that Trump’s focus is elsewhere. He said, “Those are the things that he’s going to say to her face. He‘s not talking about her identity. Frankly, nobody is. She might try to bring it up, but that doesn‘t matter to the American people. It is one of the reasons why her support in this race might be broad, but it‘s an inch deep because she‘s not talking policy.”

Sanchez disagreed with Donalds, telling him, “Respectfully, congressman, he was the one that brought it up initially, unprompted.” Donalds fired back, “Boris, you‘re wrong about that, but okay.” Sanchez then pressed the issue, asking, “Did he not bring up the issue of her race before anyone else did, suggesting she used it to her advantage?”

Donalds told him, “So Rachel Scott is the one that brought race and identity into that forum.” Again attempting to rebut Donalds, Sanchez told him, “She was citing Republicans who brought that up.” Donalds scolded Sanchez, telling him, “Let’s talk about this appropriately.” He continued, “There was one Republican who said it on Capitol Hill. Another Republican was asked about it.” “Is he talking about her identity? No he is not,” Donalds said, ending by accusing Sanchez of “gaslighting” people.

Watch them here:

https://www.foxnews.com/media/byron-donalds-spars-cnn-anchor-over-trump-comment-harris-race-ahead-debate-this-gaslighting