As the jury deliberated in his New York hush money trial, former President Donald Trump found himself embroiled in a heated exchange with President Joe Biden’s campaign over a report alleging his use of a racial slur against a Black contestant on “The Apprentice” two decades ago.

Jasmine Harris, Black media director for the Biden campaign, condemned Trump’s reported use of the N-word, linking it to his past history of racially charged statements. Harris highlighted Trump’s involvement in the Central Park Five case and his promotion of conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama’s birthplace as indicative of a troubling pattern.

In response, the Trump campaign dismissed the report as a fabrication aimed at swaying Black voters towards Biden. Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump campaign, labeled the claims as “completely fabricated” and dismissed them as “fake news.”

The report, authored by former “The Apprentice” producer Bill Pruitt, recounted an incident from the show’s first season in 2004 involving contestant Kwame Jackson. Pruitt alleged that Trump questioned whether “America would buy a n— winning” during Jackson’s time on the show.

While rumors of this incident have circulated for years, no concrete evidence, such as a tape, has ever emerged to substantiate the claims.

The report reignited tensions between the two campaigns, with Harris asserting that Trump’s actions reaffirm his divisive nature in the eyes of Black voters, while Cheung accused Biden and his allies of resorting to old, baseless accusations out of desperation.

Despite Biden’s lead among Black voters, recent polling suggests a decrease in support compared to the 2020 election, indicating a potential shift in voter sentiment within this demographic.