Donald Trump has long used a familiar playbook to inflame his supporters: stoke division, lean into racism, and undermine the legitimacy of people of color who rise to positions of power. His latest attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, which draw on the same racist birtherism conspiracy theory he used against President Barack Obama, are not just desperate—they are dangerous and profoundly un-American.

Trump’s playbook is as predictable as it is reprehensible. By undermining Harris’ identity, and therefore her legitimacy, Trump isn’t just attacking her; he’s attacking the millions of African-Americans and other minorities who see in her a reflection of their own struggles and triumphs. He’s sending the message that no matter how high they rise, they will always be defined by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.

Trump does not get to define who is and who is not black, who is and who is not American, or who is and who is not qualified to lead. The fact that he even tries is not just an insult to Kamala Harris; it is an insult to every black person in this country whose identity has been questioned, whose qualifications have been undermined, and whose value has been minimized because of the color of their skin.

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It’s not just that Trump’s behavior is beneath the presidency — it’s beneath common decency. The presidency is supposed to be a unifying force, a role that embodies the best of us, that unites Americans of all backgrounds, races, and creeds. But Trump has shown time and again that he cares more about dividing us, pitting us against each other, and destroying anyone who doesn’t fit his narrow, exclusionary view of what it means to be an American.

Trump’s strategy is to undermine black leadership

Trump’s attacks on Harris aren’t just racist—they’re emblematic of a broader strategy to delegitimize black leadership. By undermining her credentials and undermining her identity, he’s trying to send the message that no matter how successful or accomplished a black person may be, they’ll never be good enough in his eyes. It’s a tactic as old as the Republic, used to keep people of color “in their place” and perpetuate the idea that white supremacy is the natural order of things.

But Trump’s racist rhetoric is not just a throwback—it is a threat to our future. If we allow these attacks to go unchallenged, if we allow this type of behavior to become the norm, we will be complicit in the erosion of our democratic values. We cannot stand by and allow Trump—or anyone else—to undermine the progress we have made toward racial equality and justice.

Trump’s attacks on Kamala Harris are designed specifically to motivate racist white men to outvote African Americans. I take Trump’s attacks deeply personally. I have experienced racists trying to sow doubts about my talents because of the color of my skin. They have consistently underestimated me.

My love for this country, my single-minded hard work, and my dedication to protecting and serving all Americans have made me the best in my field. The same is true for Vice President Harris, who has earned her position through relentless effort and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.

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Trump is afraid of Harris and attacks her

Let’s be honest, Trump is terrified. He sees Kamala Harris as a formidable adversary, a woman who represents a successful future for America—a future that is diverse, promotes fair play, shares our vision of freedom, and is uncompromisingly inclusive. Like our military. And so he does what he always does when he feels threatened: attacks, lies, and tries to sow doubt and division. The sad and pathetic part is that he cannot accept what America truly stands for.

But we cannot allow him to succeed. We cannot allow Trump to define Kamala Harris — or any of us. We must stand up to his racism and reject the idea that our worth can be strictly defined by the color of our skin. We must insist that America is better than this, that we are better than this.

Kamala Harris has been elected vice president of the United States. She is one heartbeat away from becoming commander in chief. As she showed in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, she is ready to be president. She is not defined by Trump, but by her own accomplishments, her own history, and her own vision for this country. She is the living embodiment of the American experiment that has spread around the world. We cannot let Trump—or anyone else—take that away from her, or any of us.

African Americans, and indeed all Americans, must unite, rise above petty partisan politics, and save our nation from the threat of authoritarian rule. Let’s get to work.

Malcolm Nance is a veteran of the Career Intelligence Community, a counterterrorism expert, and a New York Times bestselling author. He is a retired Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy and a veteran of the Ukrainian Army International Legion.

This article originally appeared in The Fayetteville Observer: Trump’s racist attacks on Harris are un-American but predictable