Trump's Convention Hotel Controversy: From Chicago to Milwaukee

 

The Republican convention is set to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest city and a crucial swing-state. Initially, the nominee had intended to lodge at his own hotel in Chicago, but changed plans after media inquiries began

When Republicans convene in Milwaukee next month to formally nominate Donald J. Trump for president, there was one break with convention tradition: Trump was to remain in his own hotel in Chicago, about 90 miles away, rather than in Milwaukee itself. But when The New York Times and an ABC station in Chicago started inquiring, Trump's campaign reversed course and agreed to provide a confirmation that he had spent the night in Milwaukee, sources say.

The move comes after controversy broke out over Trump's words on Milwaukee. Sources say he called the city "horrible" during a private meeting with House Republicans in Washington. Basically, a shift would avert any backlash and show respect toward Milwaukee, a critical battleground in Wisconsin.

In an interview with local television, Trump tried to reassure Milwaukee that he was committed to the city - his hotel facilities in Chicago were very good but "I'm staying here". In a speech at Racine, 30 miles from Milwaukee, Trump repeated some of the same lines about crime and election integrity but insisted he loved the city.

Insiders said that Trump staying at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago was at first an issue of personal preference, plus other considerations like personal security. One thing's for sure: Trump does in fact stay at his properties during campaign events, a trend dating even further back than his 2016 presidential run.

Precise security arrangements for Trump's stay over at Milwaukee will be chalked out by the Secret Service in collaboration with the Republican National Committee, and a no-lapse security system will ensure one during the week-long convention starting from July 15.

Even had Trump decided to stay in Chicago, the political fallout and Democratic criticism were going to be huge. Garren Randolph, Biden's campaign president in Wisconsin, came out hard against Trump's comments in Milwaukee, pointing out that politics hadn't ended.

It is soon to travel to arguably the most critical state: Wisconsin, which Trump claimed in 2016 but lost in 2020. Immigration policy has moved to the forefront of his platform with that being the case. During a rally in Racine, Trump hit Joseph Biden on his immigration policies, stating that if elected, he would tend to reinstate tight border controls.

Partially untrue claims of voter fraud in Milwaukee by Trump have been dismissed by a nonpartisan audit, but he continues to say the former: that the 2020 election was rigged. Joining his greater critique of Democratic-led cities, these claims are an integral part of his campaign strategy to woo suburban voters.

Wisconsin is one of the fight-to-death states in this election, and energetic campaigning by both the Trump and Biden camps only continues to ratchet up. Trump's hardline take on immigration and denunciations of urban decay are probably hugely visible in his campaign speech as he tries to reclaim Wisconsin.

Watch for continuing updates on the Trump campaign strategy and the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.