Donald Trump speaks to auto workers in Michigan (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN—In Donald Trump’s world, the Republican primary is already over.
That was the former president’s message to the hundreds of supporters who gathered to see him Wednesday evening at a factory just north of Detroit. Trump did not directly reference the Republican primary or any of his rivals, who at the moment were gearing up to begin their second debate in California. Instead, Trump railed against Joe Biden and urged his supporters to ”swamp” the polls in 2024.
“For decades, you’ve watched rotten and crooked politicians like Biden treat American jobs as disposable and American workers as expendable,” Trump said. “They sat back and got rich by taking bribes to let other countries rape and pillage our jobs.”
With a commanding lead in the polls, Trump’s campaign is looking towards the general election and attempting to win the support of the blue collar workers who helped propel him to victory in 2016. That year, Trump won more union voters than any Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Dozens of United Auto Workers appeared to take a break from picketing the Big Three automakers to see the speech, waving signs that said “Auto Workers for Trump.” Union members in attendance lauded the former president’s tariff policies, which several said were the only way to protect their jobs. One man donned a union shirt and said only protectionism can keep manufacturing jobs safe.
“Biden doesn’t care about us, he was only here because Trump was here first,” the man, who said his name was Fred, told the Washington Free Beacon. “Biden wants to sell us out to China.”
Biden joined a United Auto Workers picket line nearby in northern Michigan on Tuesday, the first U.S. president to ever join a picket line. But Biden announced his trip five days after Trump, leading critics to accuse him of political opportunism.
Although Drake Enterprises, where Trump spoke, is not a union shop, its location offered insight into how his campaign will attempt to unseat Biden in 2024. The plant is located in Macomb County, home to precisely the white working class voters whose support Trump will need to secure another term.
Trump’s overtures to the working man may still not be enough. Trump won Macomb County —which former president Barack Obama carried twice—in 2016 and 2020. But Trump’s lackluster performance in other Detroit suburbs cost him a win the second time around.
Nor has the Republican Party fared well in Michigan since 2016. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was one of a wave of Democrats elected in 2018, and in last year’s midterm elections the party secured a majority in the state legislature for the first time in nearly 40 years.
With President Biden’s embrace of electric vehicles, Trump believes he has found a wedge issue to peel off union votes. United Auto Worker members who spoke with the Free Beacon on Tuesday expressed concern about the industry’s shift away from the internal combustion engine. Ford CEO James Farley has said that electric vehicles require 40 percent less manpower than their gas-powered counterparts.
Trump’s speech leaned heavily into populist rhetoric and broke with traditional conservative economic orthodoxy. He promised a second term would bring a “revival of economic nationalism to the United States.”
“I want a future that protects American labor, not foreign labor,” Trump said. “A future that puts American dreams over foreign profits and a future that raises American wages and strengthens American industry that builds national pride.”
Trump said he supported the auto strikes, but urged union members to pressure their leadership to call for an end to electric vehicle mandates and subsidies.
“You can be loyal to American labor, or you can be loyal to the environmental lunatics,” Trump said. “But you can’t really be loyal to both.”
Whether Trump is getting ahead of himself with his trip to Michigan remains to be seen. Although polls suggest he should secure the nomination with ease, a survey of Iowa caucus goers released Wednesday found that 79 percent are either considering candidates other than Trump or declining to support him. In New Hampshire, 77 percent of Republican primary voters said they are considering candidates besides Trump.
How did Trump’s appearance in Michigan demonstrate his appeal to auto workers?
Ears. However, Trump’s appearance in Michigan on Wednesday demonstrated his strong appeal to auto workers and his determination to win back their support in the upcoming election.
During his speech, Trump didn’t waste any time criticizing his political opponents. He targeted Joe Biden, accusing him of being indifferent to the struggles of American workers and prioritizing the interests of other countries over those of his own. Trump emphasized the damage that he believes Biden’s policies have caused to the American job market, stating that politicians like Biden have allowed foreign countries to take advantage of American industries.
The presence of United Auto Workers at the event highlighted the significance of this speech for the blue-collar workers in Michigan. Despite being engaged in ongoing labor disputes with the Big Three automakers, many union members took a break from picketing to attend the rally. They expressed their support for Trump’s tariff policies, which they believe are instrumental in protecting their jobs. One union member even suggested that protectionism is the only way to ensure the stability of the manufacturing sector.
One notable contrast to Trump’s visit was Biden’s recent appearance at a United Auto Workers picket line. While Biden’s decision to join the picket line was notable, critics accused him of political opportunism, as he announced his visit after Trump had already been there. This contrast was not lost on the crowd gathered to hear Trump speak, with one attendee expressing skepticism about Biden’s true intentions and accusing him of being willing to “sell out to China.”
The location of Trump’s speech, Drake Enterprises, is not a union shop. However, its location in Macomb County provides insight into the strategy of Trump’s campaign. Macomb County, home to a significant number of white working-class voters, was crucial to Trump’s success in 2016 and 2020. To secure another term, Trump will need to regain the support of these voters.
However, Trump’s history in Michigan has not been without challenges. While he managed to win Macomb County in both elections, his performance in other Detroit suburbs was lackluster, resulting in his loss in the state in 2020. Additionally, the Republican Party has struggled in Michigan since 2016, with Democrats making significant gains in the state legislature and securing the governorship in 2018.
Despite these challenges, Trump’s speech in Michigan demonstrated his commitment to winning over auto workers and the blue-collar voters who played a crucial role in his previous victories. With his strong appeal to these groups and his promises to protect American jobs, Trump is hoping to secure their support once again and potentially tilt the scales in his favor in the next election.
Only time will tell whether Trump’s efforts will be successful in winning over the auto workers and securing a victory in Michigan and beyond. However, one thing is certain – his appearance in Michigan has once again fired up the discussion about his potential comeback in the political arena.
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