Trump says he will put America back on winning track
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised a crowd at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh that he would get America and Pittsburgh back on the winning track if he takes the presidency.
In a frenetic 46-minute speech before an estimated 8,700 supporters, Trump opened by vowing that he would rejuvenate western Pennsylvania’s coal and steel production. “We are going to bring back your coal industry and your steel industry,” he said. “We’re bringing it back.”
It was Trump’s first appearance in Pittsburgh leading up to Pennsylvania’s April 26 primary. His opponents include Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Before the rally, he recorded an appearance on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s show at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in the city’s Oakland section.
That promise to reignite the region’s historical workforce, though, was just the jumping off point for promises to negotiate better trade deals, “knock the hell out of ISIS,” create jobs, build his infamous wall on the border with Mexico and repeal so-called Obamacare.
Trump painted a bleak picture of Pittsburgh and America, lamenting the loss of jobs from companies sending work overseas and to Mexico for cheap labor, as well noting U.S. Steel’s recent announcement to cut positions and the decrease in the region’s manufacturing and construction jobs over the last several years.
“The country is doing lousy,” he said. “We’re losing jobs.”
The New York City developer also said, “There are few places more devastated by our economic trade policies than Pittsburgh,” but he assured the crowd, “Don’t worry. We’re bringing it back.”
In December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Allegheny County had a 3.8 percent unemployment rate, below the national average of 4.8 percent.
Bouncing from topic to topic, Trump railed against the delegate system and growing calls from establishment Republicans to keep him from the nomination. “It’s a rigged system folks,” he said. “The Republican system is a rigged system.”
When an audience member mentioned Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton, Trump replied, “You’re talking about Hillary? She’s the most dishonest of all,” as the crowd lustily booed her name.
Trump also guaranteed victory in the fall if he faces off against Clinton. “We’ll beat her and we’ll beat her easily,” he said.
Returning again and again to trade, though, Trump said he did not have a problem with China. “I’m angry with our leaders for being so damn stupid,” he said.
Trump also said that other nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should pay their fair share instead of the United States picking up the bulk of the cost to protect Europe. “I don’t mind being a part of NATO, but they have to pay up,” he said.
He also said Saudi Arabia benefits from the American military presence and should pay for that.
Trump’s repeated vows to win and make America dominant again drew applause from the audience. Any mention of a wall on the border elicited chants of, “Build the wall” from the crowd.
The only stumble for the bombastic businessman was when he asked the crowd, “How’s Joe Paterno?” and “Do we love Penn State?” which got a raucous chorus of boos and cheers.