WARREN, Mich. (CN) - President Donald Trump gloated about his handling of everything from egg prices to immigration policy on Tuesday at a rally to mark the first 100 days of his second term in office.
"You finally have a president who is defending our borders and our nation," Trump told the crowd in Macomb County, Michigan. "After decades of politicians who destroyed Detroit to build up Beijing, you finally have a champion for workers in the White House, and instead of putting China first, I'm putting Michigan first."
Before touching down in Michigan, the White House announced it would ease auto tariffs by deferring their implementation for American manufacturers. This announcement is likely to resonate with automakers in the state, like General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler.
"Michigan is the state that gave us the assembly line and put the world behind the wheel of the automobile, and with our leadership, we are making it better every day and the automobile industry in Michigan soon - and they are signing left nad right because of my tax and tariff policies, which are policies of common sense and genius - will be better than ever before," Trump said.
In the first 10 minutes of the event, the president disparaged "transgenders," "lunatic liberals" and his fellow Republicans who have spoken against some of his policies in recent months.
Trump spent much of his speech - which lasted just over 90 minutes - reminding his supporters of controversies from the campaign trail and from former President Joe Biden's term, such as the investigation into the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop and the repeated false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
He went on to call out the highlights of his many executive orders, including those instituting sweeping tariffs, freezing federal funding to many government agencies and foreign aid projects and dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the country.
Trump has acted aggressively to test the limits of his executive authority in his second term and has been checked repeatedly by the courts, which he has taken as a challenge to his authority. On Tuesday, he called the judges who have ruled against his interests "communist" and "radical leftist" and suggested that they are angling to steal his power.
Federal courts are largely preventing some of the administration's most shocking immigration policies from taking effect. Using primarily executive orders, Trump has attempted to hold undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, deport immigrants without notice or hearing and eliminate constitutional birthright citizenship.
While he battles with the courts over immigration moves, public approval of his handling of the economy has slipped despite claiming at Tuesday's rally that inflation has fallen to its lowest point in four years and that gas is the cheapest it has been in 10 years.
In March, 56% of Americans told pollsters they disapprove of Trump's economic policy, higher than at any time during his first term in office, according to a CNN poll. Of those polled, 61% specifically disapprove of his tariffs policy.
Tariffs on goods imported from China have reached more than 140%, escalating from the original 25% tariff imposed on his first day in office. The escalating possibility of a trade war has Americans fearing recession, though his outlook during his rally speech was markedly positive.
"We get along with China, I mean their tariff is now 140%, but they want to make a deal, so we will make a deal for them, but it will be a fair deal," Trump said on Tuesday.
Scott Baier, an economics professor at Clemson University, told Courthouse News at the time the poll was published that uncertainty from fluctuating tariffs and failing peace talks in Ukraine hurt the economy and strain global relationships.
Brewing global tension, openly defying the courts and shuttering government agencies are all part of the authoritarian playbook, according to Sarah Turberville, a constitutional expert with the Project on Government Oversight. Turberville says many of Trump's "draconian" policies mark a chilling step toward autocracy.
Trump claimed on Tuesday that all public opinion polls about him are "way off," saying that actually 60-70% of Americans approve of his first 100 days.
"After 100 days back in the White House, America is a free, proud and sovereign nation like never before, and our golden age has only just begun," Trump said. "Together, we will make America powerful again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America healthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again. I love you, Michigan."
The president closed out with his signature side-ways fist pumping dance to the tune of "Y.M.C.A." by Village People, who asked in 2020 that Trump stop using the song at his rallies, only to perform at his inauguration in 2024.
Source: Courthouse News Service
