'I love Milwaukee': Trump denies 'horrible' city comments during Racine rally

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Former President Donald Trump's first words to a crowd of supporters during a rally in Racine: "I love Milwaukee."

The former president denied he ever called Milwaukee a "horrible" city last week during a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill.

"I was the one who picked Milwaukee," Trump said, referring to the city hosting the Republican National Convention next month.

"These lying people that they say, 'oh, he doesn't like Milwaukee,'" Trump said during his remarks at Festival Park in Racine. "I love Milwaukee. You have to fix the crime; we all know that. You have to make sure the election is honest."

His comments come weeks before the city will host the RNC, the backdrop where Trump will formally accept his party's nomination.

Members of Wisconsin's GOP delegation offered different accounts of what Trump told them last week about Milwaukee. Some Republicans told CBS 58 he was referring to crime and elections and others didn't refute the "horrible" comment either.

We asked rally-goers in Racine if they felt those comments could impact voters this November.

Stella Ruffalo, of Racine, said, "That's who he is. He'll just tell you how it is, whether you want to hear it or not."

It was the most common response from former president Trump‘s supporters Tuesday.

Carol Matthews, of Chicago, said, "He says what he wants to say. I think that's why most Americans like Donald Trump. Because he says, he speaks from the heart."

Ruffalo even disagreed with the comments, saying, "I don't think Milwaukee's horrible. I think Milwaukee's great. I have a lot of friends in Milwaukee. Again, everyone has their own opinion, and they're entitled to that."

Others say it simply will not matter, especially with the diehard fans.

Sean Fuerstenberg, of Jackson, WI, told us, "I don't think so. I think once a Trump supporter, always a Trump supporter."

In 2020, Joe Biden won the state by more than 20,000 votes, a relatively razor-thin margin in one of the few swing states that could decide the 2024 election.

The former president's words could matter to the moderates and independents that could decide the election.

But many in Racine wanted to keep focus on the issues.

Fuerstenberg said he was most focused on "The border and securing it."

And Matthews said, "I do want to talk about women's issues. I do feel very strongly about that."

Ahead of Trump's 90-minute speech, ABC7 Chicago reported the former president had planned to stay in Chicago during the RNC. The Trump campaign quickly denied the reports.

Immigration, Economy, Crime

After briefly addressing the controversy surrounding Milwaukee, Trump moved on to blasting President Joe Biden's economic record and the surge of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The former president criticized Biden's immigration plan announced earlier in the day that would offer potential citizenship to hundreds of thousands of immigrants without legal status.

The plan would create a pathway for U.S. citizens' spouses without legal status to obtain legal residency.

Trump argued it's "illegal as hell" and said the proposal will be "ripped up and thrown out" if elected to a second term.

Inflation and the economy were also recurring themes Trump brought up as both continue to top the polls as some of the most important issues facing voters this election year.

"When you have people paying a buck more per gallon, more for groceries and more for housing, it's a big issue," Former Governor Scott Walker said.

Crime was also frequently mentioned, another issue some voters say is a factor in who they'll vote for in November despite violent crime rates falling nationally compared to last year.

The event marks Trump's third visit to Wisconsin this year, and second in southeast Wisconsin. Last month, Biden visited Mount Pleasant, which is about 20 miles from Racine, to highlight a $3.3 billion investment for the Microsoft plant.

It underscores the importance of the region for both campaigns in the battleground state.

Democrats Hit Trump on Foxconn

Ahead of the rally, the Biden campaign put up new billboards looking to capitalize Trump's Milwaukee comments while also knocking him for the once promised Foxconn project.

The Taiwan-based electronic manufacturer was touted to create 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin, but later failed after losing out on millions in tax incentives from the state.

"Many of my friends and family members lost their jobs on the construction site," said Gilbert Gonzalez, a local union worker who spoke at a press conference hosted by Democrats.

"Foxconn was not just a letdown, it was a failure that left us empty-handed and betrayed."