CINCINNATI — President Trump on Thursday escalated his attacks on Baltimore and other diverse, liberal cities, telling a crowd in this key swing state that Democrats “deliver poverty for their constituents and privilege for themselves.”
“For decades, these communities have been run exclusively by Democrat politicians, and it’s been total one-party control of the inner cities,” Trump said. He called federal funding sent to these areas “stolen money and it’s wasted money, and it’s a shame.”
And he invited members of the crowd to criticize Baltimore, asking them to shout out the names of countries with comparable homicide rates. When one supporter yelled out, “Afghanistan,” Trump repeated him, saying, “I believe it’s higher than Afghanistan,” prompting laughter from some in the crowd.