Former US President Donald Trump criticized Detroit, suggesting that if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected president, “the whole country will end up being like Detroit,” during a speech to the Detroit Economic Club, AP News reports.
Trump made contradicting remarks about Detroit throughout the speech, describing it as a “developing” city in an apparent compliment. Trump’s comments sparked backlash from local Democrats, including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who highlighted the city’s recent improvements, including a drop in crime and population growth. Duggan stated that Detroit’s progress occurred without Trump’s help and asserted that other cities should aspire to be like Detroit. Harris responded by calling Trump’s comments as further evidence of his unfitness for the presidency.
Trump’s campaign defended his remarks and argued that “globalist policies” endorsed by Harris had negatively impacted Detroit’s manufacturing sector, claiming Trump’s policies would lead to economic recovery for the city.
Attendees of Trump’s speech had mixed reactions, with some interpreting his comments as references to the city’s past struggles, while others felt his comments reflected a negative perspective that does not acknowledge Detroit’s current progress.
