Trump's right. Milwaukee is 'a horrible city.' It's hosting a convention crowning a felon.
Donald Trump paraded his way to Capitol Hill on Thursday and graciously gave congressional Republicans a chance to smooch his felonious posterior. While doing so, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee made the unusual political calculation of insulting the swing-state city that will host next month’s Republican National Convention, calling Milwaukee “horrible.”
This proved, once again, that Trump has zero loyalty and that there’s no person or thing he won’t debase. "Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city," Trump said, several lawmakers confirmed to the USA TODAY Network. The remark was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Look, I’m from Chicago, and disliking Milwaukee and Wisconsin at large is a requirement for residency here. The state directly to my north is a region riddled with cheese-obsessed Green Bay Packers fans, and nobody in their right mind wants to go there. (An exception might be carved out for the touristy Wisconsin Dells, assuming you’re into water slides and being around lots of people who have regrettable tattoos. But that’s it.)
Convicted-felon Donald Trump calls Milwaukee 'horrible'? Whatever you say, boss.
Still, even I wouldn’t label Milwaukee “a horrible city.” It’s a nice place with good restaurants and bars and it’s right on Lake Michigan, which is beautiful.
The only thing I see that’s presently making it horrible is the fact that the city has plans next month to host a big political convention celebrating a convicted felon who Republicans think should be president of the United States.
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And now that convicted felon has taken it upon himself to slam the very city that was nice enough to welcome him and his very weird political party.
That’s definitely horrible.
Wisconsin lawmakers rush to defend ... Trump, not Milwaukee
Rather than defend the honor of their state’s most populous city, GOP lawmakers from Wisconsin tried to make excuses for the words that fell out of Dear Leader’s mouth.
Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden wrote on social media that Trump was “specifically referring to the CRIME RATE in Milwaukee.”
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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Trump “was concerned about the election in Milwaukee.”
And Rep. Bryan Steil posted on social media: “I was in the room. President Trump did not say this.”
Which is it, boys? And did each of you get a pat on the head from the MAGA king during Thursday’s meeting?
Trump's Milwaukee insult is just a microcosm of his larger loathsomeness
I’ll let the good people of Milwaukee – it was hard for me to type “good,” but it’s actually true – defend their own honor against the always-rude presidential candidate with the 34 felony convictions and the clownish party that has picked him as its avatar.
But what mattered from Thursday’s buffoonery on Capitol Hill wasn’t just Trump slagging the city where he will likely become the first-ever convicted felon picked as a major party’s presidential nominee. And it wasn’t the embarrassingly fawning GOP lawmakers who have traded their backbones for a red MAGA hat and a spot on the wrong side of history.
It was the whole thing.
A twice-impeached, insurrection-fomenting convicted felon who lost the presidency after one term demanding absolute fealty while showing us all he doesn’t give a damn about anyone or anything other than himself.
Maybe steer clear of Milwaukee in July. A felon will be roaming the streets.
Rep. Steil did note in his post: “There is no better place than Wisconsin in July.”
I’d quibble with that, but one thing is certain: All that will be making Milwaukee “a horrible city” in July will be the shameful presence of one Donald J. Trump.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump calls Milwaukee 'horrible.' He's right about the RNC host city
