In a recent development, Democrats are capitalizing on former President Donald Trump’s controversial characterization of Milwaukee as a “horrible” city. The strategic move is aimed at holding Trump accountable politically for his disparaging remarks about the largest city in Wisconsin, which happens to be a crucial swing state and the host of the upcoming Republican national convention in July.
Cavalier Johnson, the Democratic mayor of Milwaukee, expressed his concerns about Trump’s comments, stating in an interview with CNN’s Laura Coates, “In a state that’s decided on a razor’s edge, that may ultimately cost Donald Trump the election.”
The Democratic National Committee swiftly responded by announcing the launch of 10 billboards across Milwaukee featuring Trump’s disparaging remarks. President Joe Biden’s campaign also joined the initiative by selling T-shirts and stickers with images of Wisconsin, highlighting Milwaukee as a “Not a Horrible City.”
The backlash against Trump’s statement extended to social media, with top Democratic figures leveraging the platform to highlight the former president’s divisive remarks reportedly made during a closed-door meeting with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Biden shared a photo on Twitter showing him holding a Milwaukee Bucks jersey alongside team members during their visit to the White House, expressing his fondness for the city. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers chimed in on social media, adding Trump’s comment to the list of things the former president was wrong about, accompanied by a clown emoji.
Trump’s campaign defended his words, with spokesperson Steven Cheung refuting the characterization of his remarks as falsely portrayed. According to Cheung, Trump was discussing crime rates and voter fraud and did not intend to insult the city.
The billboards featuring Trump’s remarks quickly gained attention in Wisconsin, a battleground state in recent presidential elections. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel prominently featured the headline “Trump: Milwaukee ‘horrible'” in response to the controversy.
As Trump plans a campaign event in Racine, Wisconsin, next week, the fallout from his closed-door comments about Milwaukee continues to reverberate. Some Republican lawmakers present at the meeting disputed hearing Trump refer to Milwaukee as “horrible,” suggesting the word might have been taken out of context.
Despite the conflicting accounts, Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden clarified that Trump was specifically addressing crime in Milwaukee rather than criticizing the city itself. Milwaukee Mayor Johnson assured CNN that the city was actively addressing crime-related issues post-pandemic.
The situation remains fluid, with further developments expected as Trump’s visit to Wisconsin draws closer. CNN reporters Kaanita Iyer, Melanie Zanona, and Annie Grayer provided significant contributions to this report.
