“I love Milwaukee.” That’s how Donald Trump began his nearly 90-minute speech in Racine, directly addressing recent controversies surrounding his remarks about Wisconsin’s largest city. This speech came amid reports that Trump planned to stay in Chicago during the Republican National Convention instead of Milwaukee, a decision that stirred further debate after he had referred to Milwaukee as “horrible” during comments to U.S. House Republicans on Capitol Hill.

“These lying people that say, ‘Oh, he doesn’t like Milwaukee.’ I love Milwaukee. I said you got to fix the crime, we all know that, you got to make sure the election is honest, but I’m the one that picked Milwaukee,” Trump told the crowd, emphasizing his support for the city while also calling for improvements in crime rates and election integrity.

Attendees at the rally felt that the media had taken Trump’s previous comments out of context, mostly agreeing that his criticisms were focused on addressing crime in Milwaukee. Indeed, the city has seen significant reductions in various crimes from 2022 to 2023, with homicides down by 20%, car theft by 23%, and property crime by 13%. However, these statistics still reflect an increase compared to 2019 figures.

In addition to discussing Milwaukee, Trump addressed illegal immigration, criticizing the current administration’s policies. In Racine, he characterized these policies as “a direct attack on American democracy” and accused President Biden and his administration of attempting to undermine the constitutional system. “You know what they’re trying to do? They’re trying to sign these people up and register to vote,” Trump said without providing evidence. “They’re not citizens. They’re not allowed to do it. It’s illegal as hell.”

Trump’s visit to Wisconsin followed a speech in Detroit at the Turning Point Action conference. His appearances come as Wisconsin voters prepare to head to the polls in November, adding urgency to his campaign efforts in the state.