Trump to Wisconsin – ‘I Am Trying To Buy Your Vote’

Donald Trump delivers 2024 RNC speech. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Donald Trump wants Wisconsin residents to remember that the Republican National Convention was held in Milwaukee.

“We are spending spending $250 million here, creating jobs and other economic development all over the place,” said Trump adding $50 million to an economic impact figure that has encountered lots of skepticism this week.

“I hope you will remember this in November. I am trying to buy your vote and I promise we will make Wisconsin great again,” said the former president while deviating from the teleprompter.

Trump, who has stayed in the Pfister Hotel since Sunday, had praise for the Cream City.

“And a very special thank you to the extraordinary people of Milwaukee,” said the candidate, who last month was alleged to have called Milwaukee a “horrible city.”

He also said the Green Bay Packers would be a “great team” in the upcoming NFL season and that he knew the other state delegations in the room didn’t want to hear that.

Thursday’s closing night RNC program included several speeches by Trump friends, family and employees. He was introduced in a succession of speeches and songs by Hulk Hogan, Eric Trump, Kid Rock, Dana White and Lee Greenwood. Earlier in the program, multiple employees of Trump International golf courses spoke, as did Wisconsin billionaire Diane Hendricks.

He later mentioned Wisconsin again, saying the state could help build a missile defense system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome. “Just like that massive ship contract I gave you,” said Trump.

The Party of Unity? Not So Much

His wide ranging speech opened with a detailed story about what he said was going through his head during the assassination attempt Saturday in Pennsyvlania. The delegates on the floor were nearly silent.

He praised Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who lost his life in the shooting. Trump kissed a fire helmet placed on stage while holding a fire jacket that had Comperatore spelled incorrectly.

What followed was a classic Trump speech: wide ranging, frequently drifting from the teleprompter, bold claims and lots of second-hand anecdotes.

The message in the wake of the shooting has been unity. But that unity doesn’t appear to universally extend to Democrats.

“They used COVID to cheat,” said Trump of his continued baseless claims of election fraud in 2020. He later called it a “ridiculous election while blaming Biden for withdrawing from Afghanistan.

He said he would only mention Joe Biden once by name, blaming Biden for Iran’s alleged progress on building a nuclear weapon.

The candidate spoke extensively about building a wall on the Mexico border and securing the border, which he said would happen on day one. He continued a recent practice of making exaggerated claims about crime falling in Latin American countries and attributed it to migration. “We’re going to have the greatest deportation operation in American history,” he said.

Trump claimed recent job growth was being absorbed by migrants.

“You know whose taking those jobs that are created? 107% of those jobs are being taken by illegal aliens,” said Trump in deviating from the teleprompter to give a number that has never been reported. He said Black and Hispanic residents were being particular impacted before pivoting to to a new voting bloc he’s targeting: “They’re also taking them from unions.”

“I will bring back the American dream. You don’t even hear about the American dream anymore,” said Trump.

He said he would “drill baby drill” and end an electric vehicle mandate. New auto factories, he said, would be built in America. “If they don’t agree with us we will put a tariff of approximately 100% to 200% on each care,” said the candidate.

His economic strategy includes paying down federal debt and cutting taxes. “No tax on tips,” said Trump of a proposal he attributes to a waitress at his Las Vegas property.

“With great humility, I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country,” said Trump. Pictures of the candidate were featured in virtually every hallway in the arena.