Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump positioned himself as the ideal leader for revitalizing the U.S. economy at a rally in Racine, WI, on Tuesday, despite the setback from a high-profile factory project he once championed in the state.
In 2018, Trump celebrated what was supposed to be a $10 billion investment by Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn. It was aimed at showcasing the success of his "America First" manufacturing policies.
Initially projected to create 13,000 jobs, the factory has since dramatically scaled back expectations, now planning for only 1,500 positions, Reuters reported.
During his speech, Trump avoided mentioning Foxconn, instead focusing on current economic issues such as high inflation and soaring mortgage rates, which have negatively impacted President Biden's approval ratings.
"Nobody can buy a house anymore. The American dream is dead. The interest rates are through the roof," Trump told the crowd by Lake Michigan.
Foxconn's disappointing outcome has provided ammunition for Democrats, who argue that Trump failed to deliver on his economic pledges.
They aim to leverage this narrative in Wisconsin, a pivotal battleground state for the upcoming November election.
Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa criticized Trump by saying: "We aren't surprised he doesn't want to talk about his fake Foxconn ploy or the fact Wisconsin lost tens of thousands of jobs under his failed presidency."
Recent polls show Trump leading Biden by a narrow margin in Wisconsin, a state Trump lost in 2020. Both candidates are vigorously campaigning for every vote.
Last month, Biden visited Racine to promote the construction of a $3.3 billion Microsoft data center on the site initially intended for part of the Foxconn complex.
"Foxconn turned out to be just that - a con," Biden said at the event.
However, Trump maintains strong support in Wisconsin, despite the Foxconn debacle. Some voters and officials express satisfaction with any job creation from the project, regardless of its reduced scale.
The Trump campaign has countered criticism by blaming Biden for economic challenges, citing higher prices and stalled manufacturing growth as outcomes of his policies.
Trump's relationship with Wisconsin's largest city, Milwaukee, also came under scrutiny after he labeled it a "horrible city" due to crime and election security concerns.
Attempting to smooth over these remarks, Trump declared his affection for the city at the rally, saying, "I love Milwaukee!"
"These lying people, they say, 'Oh, he doesn't like Milwaukee.' I love Milwaukee," he added.
