Trump targets automotive industry revival, opposes electric vehicles in Potterville speech

POTTERVILLE, Mich. — Former President Donald Trump made his second campaign stop in Michigan Thursday at Alro Steel Corporation in Potterville.

Earlier in the week on Monday, Trump spoke in Detroit to the National Guard Association.

“This election is not a choice between Democrats and Republicans, it’s a choice between communism and freedom,” Trump said during Thursday’s rally.

In the middle of his speech Thursday, the former president made a big announcement saying if he takes office, all IVF treatments for women will be paid for.

He also brought up the subject of abortion, wanting to make his stance clear to Americans.

“We have abortion, the whole thing brought back into the states where it belongs. That’s where everyone wanted it for years and years,” Trump said. “The real problem and the real radicals are the Democrats where you can have an abortion in the ninth month.”

However, it should be noted that abortions do not happen in the ninth month of pregnancy, and rather late-term abortions occur at 21 weeks, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The majority of Trump’s speech centered around the automotive industry, which is why he chose the Alro Steel location, according to Republican Chair Pete Hoekstra.

“What better demonstrates manufacturing, the rust belt than being in a steel plant,” Hoekstra said.

“Starting on day one I will approve new drilling, new pipelines, new refineries, new powerplants, new reactors and we will slash the red tape we will get the job done,” Trump said.

During Thursday’s rally, the former president said he is going to get auto workers’ jobs back.

“I will stop Chinese-owned electric vehicle battery companies from coming to Michigan and stealing our property, workers knowledge and then sending it back to communist China, we are not going to let that happen,” he said.

Trump said he wants automotive plants to be built in the U.S.

“We are going to bring back your car industry, we are going to let them build plants but they are not going to build them in Mexico. They are going to build them in the United States of America with our auto workers,” Trump said.

Trump disagrees with the federal government’s push for electric vehicles.

“They are limited, they don’t go far, and they are built in China because they have the materials,” he said. “We have more liquid gold, it is called gasoline.”

“Biden, Harris they want to gut Michigan’s automobile industry with insane incentive to Chinese companies to build batteries and to build cars, no,” Hoekstra said.

Aside from the auto industry, Trump promised to bring down costs for Americans, blaming the Biden-Harris administration for record-high inflation.

“Kamala has made middle class life unaffordable and unlivable,” he said. “Your heating, air conditioning, electricity, gasoline can all be cut in half.”

To achieve this rapid reduction in energy costs, Trump said he would declare a national emergency to allow an increase in energy production, generation and supply.

Jonas Winter, a first-time voter told News Channel 3 that he believes gas needs to be more affordable.

“I am a teenager, saving up for my first vehicle; I don’t want to pay $4 for a gallon of gas,” Winter said.

“The first thing I will do to make middle class life dramatically more affordable is to end Kamala’s war on American energy, terminate her green new scam and drill baby drill,” Trump said.

The former president also made a stop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Thursday for a town hall moderated by former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed him in Detroit.

It was Trump’s first visit to Wisconsin since the Republican National Convention, which ended three days before President Biden dropped out of the race.

The former president will be visiting Pennsylvania Friday, Aug. 30.