In recent days Donald Trumpʼs statements about Detroit have become a hot topic in the presidential race. The former president compared the city to a “developing nation“ and suggested that auto manufacturing jobs could be done by children (which is a clear exaggeration)
During a speech at the Detroit Economic Club roughly a week ago Trump warned that the US would “end up“ like Detroit if Kamala Harris wins the election. He later doubled down on his criticism in an interview‚ calling Detroit “just horrible“ and claiming it hasnt recovered
These remarks didnt go unnoticed‚ Local and state leaders were quick to respond. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan defended the city while Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer advised Trump to “keep Detroit out of your mouth“ (a colloquial expression meaning to stop talking about something)
The Harris campaign seized the opportunity to respond. They released an ad titled “Like Detroit“ which highlighted the citys resilience and portrayed its residents as “winners“ and “up-and-comers“. Harris herself visited Detroit earlier this week‚ participating in a talk about entrepreneurship with several actors
My opponent Donald Trump yet again has trashed another great American city when he was in Detroit‚ which is just a further piece of evidence on a very long list of why he is unfit to be president of the United States
Trumps campaign defended his comments pointing out Detroits population decline and high crime rate. They argued that his policies would bring economic success to the city
This isnt the first time Trump has criticized major cities in battleground states. He previously made negative comments about Milwaukee‚ Baltimore‚ and Atlanta — all important locations for the upcoming election
With early voting underway in Michigan and Detroit reporting high rates of absentee ballot returns‚ the impact of these remarks on the race remains to be seen. Both candidates are vying for support from Black male voters‚ a crucial demographic in the state
The controversy highlights the ongoing struggle for votes in key battleground states as the 10/17/24 election approaches