Report: Trump calls Milwaukee 'horrible city' during meeting with GOP lawmakers

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Reaction from city leaders and Wisconsin Republicans was swift and varied in response to former President Donald Trump calling Milwaukee a "horrible city" during a meeting with House Republicans. 

Wisconsin's GOP House members did not dispute Mr. Trump's words, but they gave different versions of what the former president was referring to when he made the remarks.

Mr. Trump's Milwaukee comments were first reported Thursday morning by Jake Sherman, the co-founder of Punchbowl News and a NBC political reporter. 

The comment drew a harsh response from city leaders, including Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who called it "bizarre" and "unhinged."

“All of us lived through his presidency, so right back at you buddy," Johnson said. “Let’s all work to make sure he doesn’t have an opportunity to live in another city that I think he probably thinks is horrible too, and that’s Washington D.C."

Immediately after word of Trump's comments first emerged, Wisconsin Republicans offered a variety of contexts around which the former president described Milwaukee as "horrible."

Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's national press secretary, said the former president was answering a question from Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY). 

"President Trump was asked a question about election fraud and increased crime in the city of Milwaukee and how he feels about that," Leavitt said. "And like many people in Milwaukee and Wisconsin and Americans across in this country, he described crime and election fraud as horrible things that are taking place in Milwaukee."

Tenney posted on 'X' she'd asked Mr. Trump about "election integrity."

Multiple reviews and legal challenges of the 2020 election, including a report released by a conservative law firm, found no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would have changed the outcome in Wisconsin, where President Joe Biden won by more than 20,000 votes.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Convention's planning committee said Mr. Trump's remarks were over the ongoing protest zone dispute. Republicans want to move the First Amendment area farther back than Pere Marquette Park, which is one block away from Fiserv Forum.

Congressman Bryan Steil claimed Mr. Trump did not say it at all, but he then walked back his claim in an interview with CBS 58, saying the former president was talking about crime.

"The president was talking about specific challenges we face in the city of Milwaukee." Steil said. "The fact that a nine-year-old boy was killed on the north side of Milwaukee is horrible. The fact that we have crime in Milwaukee is horrible."

Steil was referring to the death of nine-year-old Joneal Zambrano, who relatives said was shot and killed by a stray bullet in his bed.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) also maintained Mr. Trump's comments were about crime. Rep. Glenn Grothman told CBS 58 he only recalled Trump discussing elections when on the subject of Wisconsin. 

Grothman said Mr. Trump largely focused on the need to win more votes in the state's two biggest cities, Milwaukee and Madison.

"I never felt there was anything bad there. I don't distinctly remember the word 'horrible.' He could've said it, but I don't remember it," Grothman said. "I wasn't planning on getting a quiz when I was done."

Grothman added he did not recall Tenney asking about Milwaukee's election policy, but said he still believed the New York congresswoman's account.

"I honestly don't remember that. Claudia wouldn't be making it up, though," Grothman said. "I remember Claudia asking a question, so if Claudia said she asked a question and he got going on elections, that may be true. I didn't remember it that way."

The Biden campaign held an event outside Milwaukee City Hall Thursday with Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, who were among the officers defending the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. 

State Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) said if Republicans really cared about stopping crime in Milwaukee, they would support passing tougher gun laws in the Legislature.

"I asked them for their help. They told me, 'My heart aches for you, but that's not happening in my district.' So, let's talk about what the Republican Party has done to help address the crime in the city of Milwaukee," Johnson said. "And the answer is not a damn thing."

For three consecutive years between 2020 and 2022, Milwaukee set new homicide records. However, homicides declined from 215 to 172 last year. So far this year, Milwaukee's 51 recorded homicides are a 22% decrease from this time in 2023.

VISIT Milwaukee President and CEO Peggy Williams-Smith released a statement Thursday, saying: 

“Milwaukee is an amazing city, attracting millions of visitors every year who fall in love with everything we know makes this city great. The Washington Post just named Milwaukee one of the best cities in the country in the summer. “Top Chef” loved Milwaukee so much they filmed a season here. We know it’s only a matter of time before everyone discovers all of the amazing things we have to offer, too!”

President Joe Biden responded to the report on social media alongside a photo holding up a Milwaukee Bucks jersey.

Mr. Trump will of course be in Milwaukee next month for the Republican National Convention. He will also be in Wisconsin next week; his campaign has scheduled a rally for Tuesday afternoon in Racine.