Will iMac (wired) USB keyboard connect external drive?

I have a recent iMac with the wired USB 2.0 keyboard.
When I connect a WD Passport portable USB external drive to the keyboard, I get a repeating click-click-click from the drive.  It never shows up on the iMac.
If I plug the same external drive into the USB 3.0 slots on the back of the iMac, it fires right up.
Is that how it's supposed to work?  Do the USB 2.0 slots on the keyboard not support a small external drive?  It seems strange that it would cause the drive to whir and click, but not be recognized by the Mac.
Can anyone explain?  Or is there something wrong with my keyboard?e

USB drives which don't have their own power supply usually won't work if plugged into a keyboard.
(109226)

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