Recently, Janet Jackson sparked controversy by questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity during an interview. Janet claimed she had “heard” that Harris wasn’t Black, asserting that she believed Harris was Indian due to her heritage. Despite being corrected and informed that Harris is of both Jamaican and Indian descent, Janet continued to express doubt, stating she was told Harris’ father was white. Her remarks were aligned with disinformation circulating in certain right-wing spaces, similar to claims made by Donald Trump questioning Harris’ Black identity(HOT 97)(UInterview).
Beyond the race comments, some have speculated that Janet’s disdain for Kamala Harris might stem from Harris’ involvement in Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial. At that time, Harris was the District Attorney of San Francisco and made public statements criticizing Michael, aligning herself with efforts to prosecute him during the child molestation case. Although Kamala wasn’t directly involved in the trial, she took a hard stance on child protection issues, which could have contributed to the Jackson family’s disapproval of her(Peoplemag)(EURweb).
This personal history may add an underlying motive for Janet’s apparent dislike of Kamala Harris. Given how fiercely the Jackson family has defended Michael, Janet’s questioning of Harris’ identity might be a deeper reflection of unresolved tensions from that chapter in their lives. While Janet has faced backlash for her comments, some supporters have called for understanding, noting her family’s historical struggles with racial identity and legal challenges.
