Forbes faced significant backlash and subsequently removed an opinion article by DEI expert Shaun Harper questioning if Donald Trump's survival of an assassination attempt would increase his appeal to Black voters. The article was criticized for being offensive and racially insensitive, with many calling it 'sick and twisted' and 'race baiting'. Harper, who is Black, intended to argue that Trump might exploit the incident to resonate with Black voters, similar to how he claimed his criminal mugshot did. Forbes’ editorial union disavowed the piece, stating it did not reflect the newsroom's values. Harper clarified that his article was misinterpreted, as he aimed to highlight the potential misuse of such a narrative rather than endorse it.