Trump insults Detroit while campaigning in the city

DETROIT (AP) — Former President Donald Trump criticized Detroit while delivering remarks to an economic group there on Thursday, saying the whole country would end up like the city if his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, is elected.

“The whole country will be like — you want to know the truth? It’ll be like Detroit,” the Republican presidential nominee said. “Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she’s your president.”

Trump's remarks came as he addressed the Detroit Economic Club in a speech appealing to the auto industry, a key segment of the population in battleground Michigan's largest city. But he made conflicting remarks about Detroit throughout the speech, saying it was a “developing” city in an apparent compliment.

Democrats in the state were quick to criticize Trump for his comments. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan lauded the city's recent drop in crime and growing population.