Scoop: Trump stalled Black journalists interview over fact-checking

• "[Trump's team] said, 'Well, can you not fact check? He's not going to take the stage if you fact-check,'" Lemon said.

The intrigue: The Q&A with the GOP presidential nominee was delayed more than an hour before he eventually joined a panel of Black journalists, including ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba.

• At the time, President Trump blamed the delay on audio problems.
• Lemon told Axios, "There were audio problems, but they were resolved very quickly."
• "The bigger problem was his threat not to take the stage when he had agreed to go on. He did not want to be fact-checked, but we could not let him on the stage without fact-checking," Lemon said.

Behind the scenes: The stalemate was so prolonged that NABJ leaders were prepared to explain to the audience of nearly 2,000 people why Trump would not appear.

• "I was prepared to go on stage to craft a statement, saying he decided not to go on stage because of fact-checking... we couldn't compromise on that.
• As Lemon was preparing that statement, Trump walked onto the stage.

The other side: The Trump campaign disputes NABJ's account. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told Axios on Friday that they waited "for close to 40 minutes while audio/technical issues were fixed by NABJ."

• Audio issues were apparent during the event.

Zoom in: Lemon says Trump's team eventually asked NABJ not to post the fact-checking on its social media platforms or allow the moderator to disclose that there would be fact-checking.

• ABC's Rachel Scott discussed the fact-checking on stage, and NABJ publicized ahead of the event that there would be fact-checking."

Catch up quick: Earlier this week, NABJ announced that Trump would be in Chicago to conduct the in-person interview, creating a divide among members who didn't think the organization should provide him with the platform.

• Lemon and other leaders have noted that NABJ has traditionally invited both candidates to the convention every election cycle. He said he understands the disappointment.

Zoom out: Members began lining up three hours ahead of the event to get a seat in the more than 2,000-seat auditorium, making their way through a line that snaked through the hallway.

• Once everyone was seated, they waited patiently for the interview to begin, having been told the program would begin "momentarily."
• Ultimately, the program that was supposed to begin at noon central time did not begin until more than an hour later.

Between the lines: In the aftermath, members remain divided on whether it was right for NABJ to extend the invitation and give a platform to Trump. Some said it was embarrassing; others praised the interviewers for their tough questioning.

• Brittany Cummings, a communications professional, was among the members who didn't think the organization should have extended the invitation to Trump.
• "I'm not sure that any group of journalists has the 'secret sauce' to make him tell the truth and speak as a normal candidate would," she said. "He's not a normal candidate, so we can't treat him as such."
• "During the actual discussion, he was disrespectful, and I don't think there was anything new to learn."

The bottom line: Lemon said it is important for people to know that NABJ did not let anything slide. They said "no" several times to ensure the event was put together correctly and to protect the women conducting the interviews.

• "Our whole team stood our ground."

Editors' note: This story has been corrected to state that moderator Rachel Scott addressed the fact-checking controversy from the stage.