Trump tells House Republicans Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city’

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on Wednesday, May 1, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson | Getty Images)

In a closed door meeting with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, the location of this summer’s Republican National Convention, a “horrible city.” 

Trump’s comments were reported by Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman. 

“Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” Trump is reported to have said on Thursday. 

The former president visited Wisconsin in May, holding a rally in Waukesha. During that visit, he talked about the RNC coming to Milwaukee, making fun of Democrats — who planned to hold the 2020 Democratic National Convention in the city but canceled it due to the COVID-19 pandemic — for not showing up to the city. 

Wisconsin’s House Republicans responded to the report with varying stories about what happened. Rep. Glenn Grothman told reporters Trump was talking about “election integrity” in large urban centers, Rep. Derrick Van Orden said the report was a lie and that Trump was talking about the city’s crime rate and Rep. Bryan Steil denied that Trump made the comment at all.

In response to the comment, Democrats said if Trump doesn’t like Milwaukee, he doesn’t need to come. 

“If Donald Trump hates Milwaukee so much, we have one message for him: don’t come, we won’t miss you — your campaign is barely here in the first place,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement. “In November, Wisconsinites will show Trump how the dislike is mutual and will reject him again once and for all.”

Other Democrats touted Milwaukee’s beer, food and sports teams while connecting the comments to regular Republican attacks against Wisconsin’s largest and most diverse city.

“Donald Trump attacking the great city of Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’ exactly one month before he shuffles out on stage at the Fiserv reflects the backward, twisted man Donald Trump has always been,” Wisconsin Democratic Party Vice Chair Felesia Martin said. “With entertainment, recreation and a quality of life that is unparalleled — to say nothing of a great basketball team — I am blessed to call Milwaukee home. We’re used to Republican politicians like Donald Trump showing nothing but contempt for Milwaukee and the folks who live here: they know our power, and they’re afraid of the city we are building here, together. Once again, Trump has demonstrated why he should not be elected to the highest office in the land. He does not possess the discipline, respect, thoughtfulness, nor the maturity necessary to lead our country.”

Trump is expected to visit southeastern Wisconsin again next week, for a planned rally in Racine on Tuesday.

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