Harkness Hall at Clark Atlanta University (founded in 1988) on July 18, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - One of Atlanta's Historically Black Universities is pushing back on claims that former President Donald Trump made during his rally in Atlanta over the weekend.
Near the end of his speech Saturday at the Georgia State University Convocation Center, Trump brought Michaelah Montgomery, the founder of Conserve the Culture, on stage.
Trump said Montgomery, a former student at Clark Atlanta University, had recognized him at a restaurant earlier in 2024.
According to the Republican presidential nominee, the conservative Georgia activist came up to him and praised him for working to fund HBCUs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"She looks at me, says, 'It's President Trump. You saved my college.' And I said, 'How the h-ll do you know that?'... This one is so smart, so sharp," Trump recalled.
"She grabbed me. She gave me a kiss," he added. "I said, 'I think I'm never going back home to the first lady.'"
The former president then allowed Montgomery to speak to the crowd.
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Michaelah Montgomery at Trump-Vance Atlanta rally
Former President Donald Trump invited Michaelah Montgomery, a Clark Atlanta University graduate and Georgia activist, on stage twice during his rally in Atlanta on August 4, 2024.
After the rally, Clark Atlanta University responded to Trump and Montgomery's claims on Instagram.
"As amongst our nation's 4,000 Higher Education institutions, multi-national corporations, hospitals, and others to have benefited from CARES and HEERF bipartisan support garnered during the administration of Former President Donald Trump, Clark Atlanta University is appreciative of such support, but was not ‘saved’ by COVID funding," the statement from the university read.
The university's statement went on to say it "remains dedicated to our mission of student success and continued support at all levels of our Democracy."
FOX News' Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.