Trump cancels news conference with black pastors

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump canceled a press conference Monday with a group of black religious leaders after several pastors denied reports that they planned to endorse him.

{mosads}Trump’s campaign said last week that he would be endorsed after meeting with 100 African-American religious leaders, though it did not release the names of those expected to be in attendance.

The scheduled public event came a week after the celebrity businessman drew ire for sharing a graphic overstating black-on-white homicides this year. It also followed a physical altercation at one of his campaign events between a Black Lives Matter protester and several white attendees.

“Will be meeting on Monday at Trump Tower with a large group of African American Pastors. Many I know-wonderful people! Not a press event,” Trump tweeted Sunday.

More than 100 black pastors, professors and activists had penned an op-ed in Ebony magazine on Friday denouncing those expected to throw their support behind Trump, who they said “uses overtly divisive and racist language on the campaign trail.”

Several pastors said they were invited to the event but would not attend, saying either they didn’t interpret the meeting as an endorsement or denouncing some of Trump’s rhetoric, according to CNN.

Trump’s spokeswoman insisted Sunday in a statement that a number of those in attendance at a private event Monday are expected to endorse Trump.