In his first campaign event since the apparent assassination attempt on Sunday, former President Donald Trump touted his economic policies and suggested that his “consequential” agenda could be the reason he’s been “shot at.”
Trump sat down for a town hall event with Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in front of a large crowd in Flint, Michigan, and the former president said he has been saddened to see the decline of the automotive industry in the Detroit and Flint area — what was known as the car manufacturing capital of the world.
The Republican nominee said the U.S. needs to manufacture more vehicles in the country instead of in Mexico and China. He then promised the crowd of Michiganders that his administration would put a 200% tariff on vehicles manufactured outside of the U.S.
“They think they’re going to make their cars there and they’re going to sell them across our line and we’re going to take them and we’re not going to charge them tax. We’re going to charge them. I’m telling you right now, we’re putting a 200% tariff on them, which means they’re unsellable,” Trump said.
“And then you wonder why I get shot at,” he added. “You know, only consequential presidents get shot at. … But you have to do what you have to do. You have to be brave. Otherwise, you’re not going to have a country left.”
The former president was targeted in another apparent assassination attempt on Sunday when a 58-year-old man hid out for 12 hours near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, allegedly to take a shot at him. Sunday’s assassination attempt came just two months after Trump was shot in the ear during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump focused on the economy and trade throughout much of his town hall event in Flint. Michigan remains a vital toss-up state in the race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with the RealClearPolitics average of polling showing Harris leading by less than 1 percentage point. The former president’s main message to Michigan voters during the town hall was clear: a vote for him meant a vote to bring industry and jobs back to the Great Lakes State.
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“We are going to bring so many auto plants into our country. You are going to be as big or bigger than you were 50 years ago,” Trump said to the applause of the crowd.
“I think it’s safe to say that Michigan is happy that you’re going to be president again,” Sanders told him.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN MICHIGAN: “We are going to bring so many auto plants into our country. You are going to be as big or BIGGER than you were 50 years ago.” pic.twitter.com/fBcq6NHK1e
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 17, 2024
