At a rally in Racine, Wisconsin, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump declared himself the best candidate for the US economy. Six years ago, he laid the foundation for a local factory that ultimately proved to be a failed investment.
Additionally, Trump promised to swiftly revoke a plan announced earlier that day by Democratic President Joe Biden, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants.
Trump stated, "Once I am re-elected, Joe Biden's amnesty plan will be torn up and thrown away." The immigration order he referred to involves certain spouses and some children of American citizens.
In 2018, Trump held a celebratory event in Racine, a lakeside city primarily inhabited by the working class. At that time, he announced a $10 billion investment by Taiwanese tech group Foxconn. During his term from 2017 to 2021, Trump frequently touted the factory, which designs and produces televisions, as a prime example of his "America First" policy revitalizing manufacturing.
However, despite Foxconn's initial projection of creating 13,000 new jobs, the company now expects to create only about 1,500 jobs. The empty fields and deserted roads west of Racine's city center have become symbols of unfulfilled promises.
The company did not respond to requests for comment, previously stating that plans changed due to reduced anticipated demand for the factory's products.
During Tuesday's rally, Trump did not mention Foxconn but instead focused on the issues of high inflation and high mortgage rates, which have affected Biden's approval ratings, including in politically competitive states like Wisconsin.
