Trump scrambles to mitigate fallout from controversial remark

CNN writes that Trump engaged in some damage control, as he declared his love for one of the biggest cities in the US Midwest to a crowd in Racine, Wisconsin, 30 miles (ca. 48 kilometers) south of Milwaukee.

“These lying people”, Trump declared, as quoted by CNN. “I love Milwaukee. I said we’ve got to fix the crime. We all know that. You’ve got to make sure the election is honest, but I’m the one who picked Milwaukee”.

According to the BBC, Trump privately described Milwaukee as “horrible”, though it was later explained that the former US President was referring to crime statistics in the city, with a homicide rate going up in the past few years.

Image: fotowei / Unsplash

Wisconsin is considered a pivotal swing state for the upcoming presidential election, with Democrats and Republicans heavily campaigning to win over the Cheese State.

All this happened on June 14, when Trump visited Capitol Hill for the first time since January 6, 2021. He met with House Republicans at the GOP headquarters, across the street from the US Congress.

According to The New York Times, the meeting was in preparation of the Republican National Convention, scheduled to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15 to July 18.

Trump is expected to officially accept the Republican nomination during the RNC in Milwaukee. However, Trump may not be able to attend after being declared guilty in the Stormy Daniels trial.

The GOP is reportedly working on contingency plans in case the New York mogul is sentenced to serve house arrest or even jail time. However, several sources affirm that the RNC convention in Milwaukee was the last thing in Trump’s mind.

The lawmakers sang “Happy Birthday” to the New York mogul during a private breakfast, who was turning 78. They gave him a baseball and a bat, for the annual congressional game.

According to NPR, Trump took advantage of the moment to speak everything that crossed his mind, as is his usual style, from inflation to his disdain of Milwaukee.

The New York Times highlights that Trump complained that pop music star Taylor Swift should endorse him instead of Biden. The singer supported Biden in 2020 but has yet to comment on either candidate in this election.

Likewise, the New York mogul claimed that one of Nancy Pelosi’s daughters had told him that he and her mother would be a good match, which some in the room interpreted as a romance while others as referring to a professional partnership.

According to the BBC, Pelosi referred to Trump’s visit to the Capitol as the “instigator of an insurrection… returning to the scene of the crime”.

Overall, it was a very positive day for Trump and the Republican establishment. “We have great unity, we have great common sense,” Trump declared to the press, as quoted by NPR. “A lot of very smart people in this room.”

“President Trump brought an extraordinary amount of energy, excitement and enthusiasm this morning,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said afterward, as quoted by AP News. “We’re feeling good.”

Regardless if the former and possibly future US President goes to jail or ends up in house arrest, one thing seems certain at this point: The Republican Party will once again rally behind him, despite everything.

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