Former President Donald Trump denied disparaging Milwaukee in a new television interview ahead of next month’s Republican convention, telling Milwaukee-based NBC station WTMJ that he will stay in the city for the event.
“I was always planning on staying here,” Trump stated. “Again, I chose Milwaukee for a reason.”
However, a law enforcement source told NBC News that the Secret Service and local police officials had been working on plans for Trump to stay at his Chicago hotel as recently as Monday, before various press reports revealed his plans. And Chicago Ald. Brian Hopkins, leader of the city council’s public safety committee, said the city had been discussing safety measures with the campaign — both in person and over the phone — with the intention of Trump staying in Chicago’s Trump Tower for the GOP convention.
“They abruptly changed their minds,” Hopkins explained on Tuesday. “The Trump campaign has communicated with the city to say: ‘We’re not coming after all,'” With the probable exception of a city reception, Hopkins continued.
In the interview, Trump also rejected claims that he described Milwaukee as a “horrible” city overwhelmed by crime during a meeting with House Republicans in Washington, D.C., last week. Instead, he branded Democrats liars, claimed to be discussing crime more widely, and stated that he chose Milwaukee for the convention, despite the fact that it was settled long before he was the party’s presumed 2024 nominee.
Trump went on to remark that crime is “way too high” in certain communities, and that there are too many guns in “certain hands.”
When asked how he intends to collaborate with mayors of major cities to battle crime, Trump responded, “basic great police work, you have to give the authority and control back to the police.”
Trump also criticized President Joe Biden’s new proposal to let unauthorized immigrant spouses of American citizens and their children to live in the United States. Trump stated it is “for the vote,” and that the Biden administration “won’t stop there” on immigration reform.
It was also a major theme at Trump’s Tuesday rally in Racine, Wisconsin, where he criticized Biden’s border policy and highlighted examples of undocumented immigrants committing crimes in the United States, despite high-profile murders and other incidents, there is no evidence of a larger crime wave fueled by migrants.
Source: nbcnews
