NOVI, Mich. (AP) — Donald Trump further humiliated Detroit while applying to vote in a suburb of the nation’s largest city on Saturday. swing state michigan.

“I think Detroit and some of our areas have made us a developing country,” the former president told supporters in Novi. He said people wanted him to say Detroit was “great,” but he thought he “needed help.”

The Republican candidate for the White House told an economic group in Detroit earlier this month that if Democrat Kamala Harris wins the presidency, “the whole country will be like Detroit.” The comment drew harsh criticism from Democrats, who praised the city for its recent performance. drop in crime rate And increasing population.

Trump then traveled to Pennsylvania, another key state, where he appealed to young voters by promising better conditions as they start their careers.

Trump’s stop in Novi after a while Friday night event in Traverse CityThis is an indication of Michigan’s importance in this tight race. Harris A rally was held in Kalamazoo on Saturday Former First Lady Michelle Obama slammed Trump and questioned why he was close to him, saying: “I’m wondering at night, ‘What’s going on in the world?’ “I lay awake thinking.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump departs after speaking during a campaign rally at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Alex Brandon

Candidates in the final period of the campaign made frequent visits to Michigan, a state that Trump won in 2016 but was carried by Democrat Joe Biden four years later.

Michigan is home to major auto companies and the nation’s largest community of United Auto Workers members. It is also a significant Arab American populationMany people were disappointed with the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Trump highlighted local Muslim and Arab American leaders who joined him on stage during his rally. These voters “could change the election one way or another,” Trump said, adding that he was confident in the “overwhelming support” of voters in Michigan.

“When President Trump became president, there was peace,” said Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi, one of those leaders. “We didn’t have any problems. There were no wars.”

Trump has a history of hostile policies toward this group as he seeks to capitalize on society’s frustration with Democratic governance. travel ban Promises to target and expand Muslim countries while in office It will also include Gaza refugees if he wins on November 5th.

Trump’s ally, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California, the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, told reporters that Trump is winning the support of more Arab Americans and developing relationships with leaders in the Middle East that will bring more stability to the region.

In lengthy statements to his supporters, Trump went after Harris and the media with familiar barbs and supported the immigration and energy policies that formed the basis of the campaign. For example, he said immigrants were “taking the jobs of the Black population and taking the jobs of the Hispanic population.” Government data contradicts this claimThis shows that immigrant labor contributes to economic growth and provides promotion opportunities for native workers.

Later Saturday, Trump traveled to State College, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State University. He told a crowd that included more young people than ever before that under his leadership they would “inherit the freest, strongest and most powerful nation in the world.”

“If you vote for me, I will ensure that young people start your careers in a roaring economy, in a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity,” he said.

He repeatedly praised the university’s national championship-winning wrestling team and invited several of the team’s athletes onstage to shake his hand.

At both campaign stops on Saturday, Trump pointed out how a campaign is run. influx of Haitian immigrants It affected Springfield, Ohio. But he stopped repeating Unfounded claims about immigrants eating petsIt was a narrative that drew reaction from members of both parties, and caused bomb threats in some schools and government buildings.

Trump took the stage an hour and 40 minutes after being called to speak. An hour after his remarks, the crowd in the back of the arena had become noticeably bare, especially as kickoff approached for Sunday night’s game against Penn State at Wisconsin.

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Swenson reported from New York.

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