Trump slams Kamala Harris for ‘wreaking havoc’ on Detroit – promises a ‘stunning rebirth’ of the ‘sacred’ city
Former President Donald Trump promised a “stunning rebirth” of Detroit during a rally in the Motor City on Friday that was marred by technical difficulties.
Trump, 78, blamed Democrats and “globalist politicians” – including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – for Detroit’s decline, while making the case that his plan to impose “massive tariffs” on vehicles imported from Mexico will bring about a resurgence in Michigan’s largest city.
“Detroit has such great potential,” the Republican nominee argued. “But Kamala and the Democrats have been wreaking havoc on this place.”
“It’s a sacred place,” Trump said of Detroit. “So many things happened in Detroit, and it’s been treated so badly, and they’ve been talking about comebacks for so long – but we’re going to bring it back better than it ever was.”
Trump argued that Detroit, once a booming manufacturing center and the automotive capital of the world, has been “decimated, as if by a foreign army” because of bad trade deals and Democratic policies.
“Forty percent of Michigan auto jobs were annihilated after [the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement], and China’s entry into the World Trade Organization was a disaster for your beautiful place, your beautiful city, and frankly, your beautiful state,” the former president said.
“Under Kamala Harris, this year alone, the United States has lost nearly 50,000 manufacturing jobs,” Trump noted.
“We’re going to bring back our jobs, our dignity and our dreams,” Trump vowed, proclaiming that by the end of his term, if elected, “the entire world will be talking about the Michigan miracle and the stunning rebirth of Detroit – and this will be a real rebirth.”
Trump, who has floated slapping tariffs higher than 200% on Mexican-made automobiles, explained that many of the manufacturing plants south of the border are actually owned or backed by China.
He argued that his tariff plan would shutter those factories and result in a “mass exodus of manufacturing jobs from Mexico to Michigan, from Shanghai to Sterling Heights, and from Beijing to right here in Detroit.”
“A strong auto industry will make all of Detroit richer, boosting suppliers, real estate, and your entire economy,” Trump asserted.
The event, held at a convention center in downtown Detroit, was delayed for about 20 minutes after Trump’s microphone stopped working about 10 minutes into his speech.
The former president remained on stage and appeared irritated as multiple nonfunctioning microphones were brought to him during the delay.
“So now what happens is I won’t pay the bill for this stupid company that rented us this crap,” Trump fumed after the technical difficulties were finally sorted out.
The former president brought legendary boxer Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns and rapper Trick Trick – both Detroit fixtures – on stage with him during the rally.
“You think I could take you now in a fight? Right now?” Trump jokingly asked Hearns.
“No, I don’t think so,” Trump said, answering his own question before Hearns flashed some of his boxing moves.
The latest RealClearPolitics average of polls shows Trump leading Harris in Michigan by less than a percentage point. Since late September, Trump has been trending upwards in the state while support for Harris has declined, according to the poll aggregator.
The state has 15 Electoral College votes up for grabs in November.
“We want a landslide,” Trump said near the end of his remarks, “and it looks like that could be happening.”
