Billionaire turned GOP presidential-candidate Donald Trump railed against Hillary Clinton, promised to crush a controversial international trade deal, lambasted the state of Ohio’s economy under Democratic rule, and vowed to protect the nation from ISIS during his rally Wednesday in downtown Toledo.
Mr. Trump fired up the crowd several times talking about fighting ISIS and his plans to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, comparing it to the Great Wall of China.
“I am going to make it even better,” he said.
He drew even more cheers with his trademark “Build the Wall” statement.
Mr. Trump, who spoke for 62 minutes, also used the podium in Toledo to once again criticize the United States’ involvement in NATO and the cost to protect nations such as Japan.
“If Japan gets attacked, we have to go and fight,” he said. “That’s probably World War III. If we get attacked, Japan doesn’t have to do a thing.”
Mr. Trump has said several times in the past that he would consider pulling the United States out of the international security alliance because it is obsolete and too expensive.
Along with security, the presidential hopeful focused on the economy and how hard Ohio was hit from the loss of good-paying factory jobs in the state.
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“Ohio has lost one in three manufacturing jobs since [Bill] Clinton signed NAFTA,” Mr. Trump said.
“Probably the worst agreement ever signed in the history of this county — probably [in] the history of the world,” he said.
Mr. Trump took equal shots at the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal negotiated by President Obama’s Administration.
“Trans-Pacific Partnership is a total disaster,” Mr. Trump said to the cheering crowd of 8,879 people in the Huntington Center.
He said the Trans-Pacific Partnership would be “worse than NAFTA” and “drive jobs out of Ohio and Toledo.”
“It would be a disaster for Ohio; it will be a disaster for Toledo,” he said. “We can’t let it happen and the one way we know it won’t happen is to elect Donald Trump.”
Mr. Trump said too many Ohioans live below the poverty line.
“Since 2000, the number of people on food stamps in Ohio has nearly tripled. ... Help is on its way in the form of Donald Trump,” he said to cheers.
Court picks
The Republican told the crowd his election is critical because the next president will appoint at least one or even up to five judges to the Supreme Court of the United States.
“If Hillary gets in, she has gone so far left ... we will end up in Venezuela,” he said.
Mr. Trump brought his son Eric Trump to the stage briefly during the rally.
Eric Trump spoke on his father’s behalf for less than a minute.
Supporters reveled in the GOP candidate’s trademark barbs against Mrs. Clinton, Democrats, and the general establishment of politics in America.
“The last thing we need is another politician,” Mr. Trump said.
Dan Roberts, 50, of Millbury, stood outside the Huntington Center from the early morning, even though he already had a ticket. He said he’s seen other Trump rallies where thousands of people stood in line for hours because of heavy demand. If he wasn’t in line, Mr. Roberts said he would be working at Sun Oil. He held a Hillary sign with liar in bold.
John Kurfess, 16, of Millbury, said he thinks Democratic rule has endangered his ability to get a job when he is done with college.
“I want to make sure there are jobs out there for me,” said the teenager, who was decked out in a Trump T-shirt and hat. “The economy has been struggling with the Democrats in office. I don’t think it’s a good idea to have another Democrat in office.”
South Toledoan Margie Lark fought back tears talking about Mr. Trump before his rally downtown.
‘A fresh face’
“I think he has a fresh face and I think he is going to make America great again,” Ms. Lark said with tears in her eyes. “He is not in government and no one can buy him.”
The billionaire’s lack of any political office resonated with many supporters gathered inside the arena.
“He is not a lawyer. He is not a politician,” said Doug Beat, of Springfield Township. “He is a businessman.”
Capitalism key
Mr. Beat said he supports Mr. Trump because of his support of capitalism.
“Capitalism is free trade ... this is the only country you are still allowed to do it,” he said.
Supporters inside the arena waiting for the GOP candidate to arrive briefly chanted “Lock Her Up” and “Build the Wall.”
“Hillary is a crook, just like he says,” said Luis Darah, owner of Superior Uniform Sales in Toledo. “He is not afraid to speak up and tell you what he thinks.”
Mr. Darah, who said he is Middle Eastern, said he is not bothered or concerned by any of Mr. Trump’s statements that some think are inflammatory or racist.
The Toledo rally was the Republican nominee’s third event of the day, after Doral, Fla., at 10:30 a.m., and Scranton, Pa., at 3 p.m.
Mr. Trump, nominated by the GOP last week in Cleveland, is hitting the campaign trail hard to extract as much post-convention bounce as possible while Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is nominated this week in Philadelphia.
Former Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, who is now the Republican nominee for Pete Gerken’s Lucas County commissioner seat, led Mr. Trump’s rally in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. Bell said he’s sometimes advised to stay in the background because he’s an African-American Republican.
“It’s good to be here,” Mr. Bell said. “I’m here because the bottom line is we’re all Americans. Black lives matter, blue lives matter, and we together will change this country in November.”
Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171 or on Twitter @IgnazioMessina.
First Published July 28, 2016, 5:14 a.m.
