Trump says he wants to 'reclaim' manufacturing power as Democrats hit his record

WALKER, Mich. — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed to "reclaim America's manufacturing power" during a Friday campaign stop in Michigan, as Democrats escalated their attacks on the job numbers from his first term in office.

Trump spoke for about 75 minutes Friday afternoon inside FALK Production in Walker in Kent County. FALK makes metal panels, according to its website. Later in the day, Trump is scheduled to participate in a town hall at Macomb Community College in Warren.

The former president's remarks at FALK focused heavily on illegal immigration and the economy.

"I want German car companies to be American car companies. I want them to build their cars in this country, not in Germany," Trump told the crowd. "I want Asian electronics companies to become Michigan electronics companies.

"I want every manufacturer that has left us to be filled with regret.”

Trump said he would accomplish his lofty goals by offering companies the lowest tax rates, the lowest energy costs and the lowest regulatory burden.

But ahead of Trump's stops, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain criticized Trump's approach to the car industry in a Friday news conference. And Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, issued a statement Thursday evening, calling Trump "one of the biggest losers of manufacturing in American history."

"American workers deserve a leader who keeps their promises and stands with workers when it matters, and as president, I will bring autoworker jobs back to this country and create an opportunity economy that strengthens manufacturing, unions, and builds prosperity and security for America’s future," Harris said in her statement. "I will always stand with the UAW."

"Trusting Donald Trump again is a risk America's autoworkers cannot afford," the statement added.

The campaign swing through Michigan comes 39 days before the Nov. 5 election and a day after absentee ballots became available across the battleground state.

Talking voting

Trump mentioned absentee voting twice during his speech, telling people to go out and get a ballot.

"By the way, we win Michigan, we win it all," the Republican said at one point.

Michigan was one of a few blue states that broke for Trump in 2016 when he won the White House, prevailing in this state 47.5%-47.3% or by 10,700 votes over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump in 2020 in Michigan by 154,000 votes or 51%-48%.

Michigan is one of seven battleground states that are expected to decide the 2024 race between Trump and Harris.

The contest this fall is expected to be close. But Trump, without detailing his proof, accused Democrats of cheating "like hell."

"That’s the only way we’re going to lose," Trump told the crowd.

At another point, Trump said he lost the 2020 election "by a whisker." But he's also maintained false claims that the election was somehow stolen from him in Michigan, despite bipartisan canvassing boards, a series of court rulings and an investigation by a GOP-controlled state Senate committee upholding the outcome.

Manufacturing record

The number of manufacturing jobs in Michigan decreased during Trump's first term in the White House, according to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and policies put in place to combat its spread hindered the economy nationally during the Republican's final year in office.

There were about 617,200 manufacturing jobs in Michigan in January 2017, when Trump became president, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number had grown by about 0.5% to 620,500 in February 2020, before Michigan identified its first cases of COVID-19. By the end of Trump's term, the tally from the start of his administration had dropped by 5% to 585,500, according to the data.

During Biden's term, with Harris serving as vice president, the number of manufacturing jobs in Michigan has increased by about 3% to 604,800 in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But Trump has contended that Democrats' efforts to invest in and promote electric vehicles will eventually lead to auto jobs leaving Michigan. The state has about 162,000 positions in auto vehicle and parts manufacturing and is home to the headquarters of Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co.

China will take over “all of your business" because of electric vehicles, Trump told a crowd in Flint on Sept. 17. The United States has gasoline, while China has the materials needed for EVs, he said.

“Why are we making a product that they dominate?" Trump said. "They are going to dominate."

Ross Holst of Grand Rapids wore a red, white and blue hard hat at Trump's event in Walker on Friday. Holst said he works in automotive paint sales and doesn't believe the nation's electric grid can handle a jump in electric vehicle use.

"We're not ready for that," Holst said.

Mason Odehnal of Allendale, who works in construction, said Trump's speech in Walker marked the first political event he had ever attended.

"(Trump) wants to keep manufacturing here, and manufacturing breeds construction," Odehnal said of his reasons for supporting Trump.

However, on Friday morning, UAW leader Fain said Trump had displayed a "losing mentality" on the future of electric vehicles in the U.S. and "failed to do a damn thing to help the auto industry when he was president."

The Biden-Harris administration had worked to make sure EV infrastructure is built in the U.S., and there are 20-30 battery plants currently being built or planned in the U.S., said Fain, who has endorsed Harris after backing Biden.

"When have we ever seen investment like that in this country?" Fain asked Friday. "It hasn't happened in my lifetime."

AutoForecast Solutions LLC, an auto industry forecasting and analysis firm, confirmed Friday that there are about 20 battery plants attached to major automakers that are either happening or coming in the next five years.

Multiple EV-related projects are planned or underway in Michigan, including GM's constructing a plant to produce lithium-ion battery cells in the Lansing area. That project is expected to generate a total investment of $2.6 billion and create 1,700 jobs, according to its backers.

Trump's visit Friday is his 10th to Michigan of 2024 and involved two key battleground areas of the state: Kent and Macomb counties.

Trump won Macomb in the last two presidential contests. Despite losing to Biden statewide four years ago, Trump won Macomb, Michigan's third largest county, by about 8 percentage points in 2020, 53%-45%.

In Kent County, previously seen as a GOP stronghold, Trump lost to Biden by 6 points, 46%-52%, in 2020. Biden got about 49,000 more votes out of Kent County than 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who narrowly lost Michigan to Trump.

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