Trump campaign adviser dismisses White House diversity question, asks about black people in Lincoln admin

Trump 2020 campaign adviser Katrina Pierson on Sunday dismissed a question about diversity within President Trump's administration by asking how many black people worked in former President Lincoln's administration. 

"I’m not going to participate in the attempt to make this all about race. It's ridiculous," Pierson, who is African-American, said during an appearance on MSNBC. "How many black people were in Abraham Lincoln’s West Wing?”

Pierson invoked Lincoln after Rev. Al Sharpton pressed her on how many black people work inside the White House. The question led to a heated exchange, with Pierson accusing Sharpton of attempting to paint the president as a racist. 

"Everything has to be made about race, reverend. ... I’m not going to participate in the attempt to continue to paint this president as racist," Pierson said.

Sharpton then asked how Trump can appeal to black voters without hiring African-Americans within his administration. Pierson replied that there are "plenty of black people working in the West Wing" before bringing up the lack of diversity inside Lincoln's White House.