While his GOP competitors were holding a debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, former President Donald Trump was addressing a crowd at a rally in the Detroit suburbs. Unlike his prior (and potential future) presidential opponent, Joe Biden, Trump addressed the crowd for a little over an hour.
Trump spoke on a variety of issues, but he was uncompromising with automakers.
The president spoke to a non-union auto part plant in Clinton Charter Township, Michigan. He spent a lot of time talking to people who weren’t there, the United Auto Workers on strike in twenty states.
While some audience members held up signs reading “Unions for Trump”, former President Obama praised the autoworkers’ efforts, saying they don’t get the credit that they deserve.
Trump told his audience, with a loud applause: “You built this country.” He said he stood by auto workers who want to make America great again and build cars “that go far. ”
He said automakers were either “stupid”, “gutless”, or both to invest in the development of electric vehicles. “These damned things aren’t getting far enough, and they’re costly.”
Trump used this opportunity to criticize Biden too:
Trump said that “Biden’s mandate isn’t a government regulation.” This is an assassination of your industry by the government. “The auto industry was assassinated. “It doesn’t matter what happens over the next two, three, or five weeks.” “These cars will be built in China and other places.” “This is not sustainable. ”
Trump announced Detroit before Biden.
On Wednesday night, Trump claimed that Biden spoke for only “a few moments” after he had announced his presence.
He claimed that the Biden administration was selling out the people.
He claimed that Biden’s embrace of electric vehicles, which is a significant part of his clean-energy agenda, would lead to job losses. It echoes the concerns of some autoworkers who believe that electric cars are easier to manufacture and that there is no guarantee they will be organized.
Trump told his audience, flanked by American flags and pallets of auto parts, as well as environmental extremists that he sold them to China.
It is not surprising that Trump was also praised by the crowd.
Tony Duronio (64) is a real estate broker, and a long-time Trump supporter, who lives in Clinton Township. Duronio was invited to the event by Autoworkers for Trump, a group that has been active in Clinton Township for many years.
“He’s the frontrunner. He doesn’t have any competition,” he said. “Look, if it ain’t him, I may stay home ’cause the rest are no different than Biden.”
