Milwaukee mayor hits Trump over 'horrible' city comment: 'Right back at ya, buddy'

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson fiercely defended her city after reports emerged that former President Donald Trump called the city a “bad city” during a meeting with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

“If Donald Trump wants to talk about things he thinks are awful, we all lived through his presidency, and we’ll give you the same,” Johnson said when asked about Trump’s alleged criticism of the city that hosted the Republican National Convention this summer and where he is seeking the 2024 presidential nomination.

“It’s clear that Donald Trump has gotten something wrong again,” Johnson added.

Johnson was referring to the political dynamics unfolding in Wisconsin, one of six battleground states seen as crucial to winning the general election in what is expected to be a close race between President Trump and President Biden in November.

Johnson described Trump’s comments as “bizarre” and “in some ways out of the ordinary”.

“I think it’s a little puzzling and weird that he would insult the largest city in Wisconsin just because he’s running for president. He obviously wants to win Wisconsin and he obviously wants to win the election, so I think it’s kind of weird and out of line in a way that he would insult the state that’s the host of the convention,” Johnson said.

“Especially when you consider the fact that there are about 50,000 Republicans living in Milwaukee, they’re saying their hometown sucks,” he continued. “I mean, I just don’t get it.”

The Trump campaign quickly clarified the former president’s comments after reports emerged that he had disparaged the Republican National Convention site, saying that while he doesn’t think Milwaukee itself is “bad,” he does think crime in the city is bad.

A Trump campaign spokesman called the situation a desperate attempt to garner likes on social media, noted that there were no reporters in the room where the former president met with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill and allegedly targeted the city.

“That is a complete lie,” the spokesperson said in a statement that included links to Republican lawmakers who have defended Trump. “President Trump was specifically referring to issues in Milwaukee, specifically violent crime and voter fraud.”

Milwaukee’s mayor praised the many Republicans who spoke positively about the city.

“My Republican colleagues and [Republican National Committee]”They’re obviously against him. They’ve been here a lot of times. They love Milwaukee and they think it’s a great city,” Johnson said.

Johnson said Trump “just doesn’t like cities” and that “these urban challenges are not unique to Milwaukee,” noting that Milwaukee has seen significant improvements in recent years, including job growth, reduced crime and increased investment in local businesses.

“It’s pretty clear to me that Donald Trump doesn’t like cities. He doesn’t like cities. So for us, the voters here in Milwaukee, I think the message is pretty clear. You heard it from Trump himself,” Johnson said. “Let’s all work together to make sure we don’t have the opportunity to live in another city that Trump probably thinks is terrible, which is Washington, D.C.”