Did Donald Trump call Milwaukee a “horrible city?”
He says no.
In a post Saturday on Truth Social, the 45th president posted: “The Democrats are making up stories that I said Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city.’ This is false, a complete lie.”
The “horrible city” quote, first reported Thursday by Punchbowl News, was allegedly made before House Republicans in a morning meeting on Capitol Hill while discussing strategies for his campaign.
Many at the meeting acknowledged the comment occurred, but had different takes on what Trump was talking about. Trump called it a “fake story.”
“I picked Milwaukee, I know it well,” Trump said in his post. “It should therefore lead to my winning Wisconsin. But the Dems come out with this fake story, just like all of the others. It never ends. Don’t be duped. Who would say such a thing with that important State in the balance? Vote for Trump, Wisconsin, I will not let you down!!!”
Trump also referenced other news stories in his Truth post such as the Hunter Biden laptop case and alleged Russian collusion, calling both also lies and “disinformation.”
The “horrible” comment spurred quick reaction from Democrats and others with close ties to Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson responded to the report: “Well, if Donald Trump wants to talk about things that he thinks are horrible, all of us lived through his presidency, so right back at you, buddy.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers made a post on X saying to “add it to the list of things Donald Trump is wrong about.”
Evers also posted on X June 14 saying “Milwaukee is a terrific city. Pass it on.” This prompted others to share photos of themselves in Milwaukee, or of events in the city, with the same wording.
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Republicans have put out differing accounts of what happened in that meeting.
“I was in the room,” U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil of the 2st Congressional District wrote on X. “President Trump did not say this. There is no better place than Wisconsin in July.”
He later clarified that Trump was having “a broad conversation about the challenges we face as a country, in particular the challenges that we’ve seen in Milwaukee.”
Others seemingly acknowledged the comment occurred, but attempted clarification as to what exactly Trump thought was “horrible.”
An aide to U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald of the 5th Congressional District told the Journal Sentinel the comments “were about election integrity.”
In contrast, U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden of the 3rd Congressional District shared on X that he thinks the comment was, “specifically referring to the crime rate in Milwaukee.”
Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Racine on Tuesday, June 18, at Racine Festival Park.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump says he did not call Milwaukee a ‘horrible city’
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