US President Donald Trump on Tuesday touted what he described as a series of major economic wins and forcefully attacked Democrats during a rally in Michigan as polling showed Americans growing more skeptical of his hardline approaches on trade and immigration.
Trump, during a campaign-style rally meant to commemorate his first 100 days in office, said his moves to impose tariffs on the US’ trading partners could lead to a resurgence in domestic manufacturing.
“We had the greatest economy in the history of our country. We did great, and we’re doing better now,”; Trump said of his first presidency, from 2017-2021.
Americans have reportedly cooled on aspects of Trump’s performance in recent weeks. In particular, people are fretting about Trump’s economic stewardship amid stubborn inflation.
The Republican renewed his criticisms of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying the central bank head was not doing a good job.
The president doubled down on calls for Congress to slash taxes, a plan that nonpartisan budget analysts said could add trillions to the nation’s $36.6 trillion in debt.
“In the coming weeks and months, we will pass the largest tax cuts in American history, and that will include no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime,”; Trump told the crowd in Warren, which is home to the General Motors Technical Center and located about a dozen miles from downtown Detroit.
He slammed what he termed radical left lunatics, briefly verbally sparred with a heckler, and polled the crowd for their favorite nicknames for his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
Trump, who spoke in front of a banner that read, “The Golden Age,”; paused to show supporters a slickly produced video montage highlighting the results of his administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration: alleged gang members getting their heads shaved and put in prison. The crowd cheered.
The president, while speaking briefly at a National Guard base before the rally, touted his administration’s investments in defense.
“I’ll be supporting a record-setting $1 trillion investment in our national defense,”; Trump said.
