Donald Trump embraced his persona from reality television during a rally in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, asserting to voters in this critical swing state that his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, would have failed to win on his business competition show, The Apprentice.
“Kamala, you’re fired!” Trump exclaimed, mimicking his iconic contestant-eliminating tagline from the show while rallying support for his campaign. “Get out of here!”
Trump continued, emphasizing his belief that Harris wouldn’t have succeeded on the show, stating:
“The Apprentice… she wouldn’t have won The Apprentice.”
Commentary on Popular Culture
In addition to his political jabs, Trump shared his thoughts on pop culture, expressing disappointment that the film Full Metal Jacket was overlooked for Academy Award recognition. In another part of his speech, he controversially compared some American enemy fighters to Rambo, the iconic character from the film and book series about a U.S. veteran.
While his remarks included humor and cultural references, Trump’s primary focus was on economic issues, which, along with immigration, remain top concerns for voters. He promised to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, vowing to help Americans struggling with inflation and diminishing purchasing power:
“Inflation, we can solve it.”
Trump’s address was characterized by self-congratulatory remarks, including boasting about crowd size and his connections to prominent figures like Elon Musk. He also engaged in fearmongering regarding conflicts in the Middle East, highlighting Iran’s missile strikes on Israel, and voiced alarm about immigration.
“These people are grossly incompetent,” Trump stated, referring to Biden and Harris’s handling of U.S. military affairs. “And now we have them in charge of potentially World War Three. World War Three—it’s going to be like no other if it happens, because of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction that nobody’s ever seen before.”
In his rhetoric, Trump claimed that immigrants were “taking over our small towns and cities, they’re taking over our big cities, too.” He also seemed to express solidarity with New York City’s Democratic mayor, Eric Adams, who was recently charged with allegedly accepting bribes from the Turkish government.
“If you fight it, you get indicted,” Trump echoed Adams’ claims of political targeting for his conflict with the Biden administration regarding immigration. “The mayor of New York… he was appalled at what was happening, and they indicted him, and I predicted it.”
Targeting Harris on Economic Policies
Trump’s comments come as he continues to criticize Harris’s economic policies, just hours before vice-presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz are set to debate. According to a CBS News/YouGov poll, voters are eager to hear both candidates address immigration and economic issues during their debate.
A recent Harris poll for The Guardian found that 66% of respondents identified the cost of living as a primary economic concern. Democrats face mounting challenges as American consumers have seen their purchasing power plummet following inflation, which hit a staggering 9.1% in the summer of 2022, a 40-year high under Biden’s administration.
Americans’ worries about rising prices extend beyond groceries and fuel to their housing situations. Democrats are concerned that escalating housing costs could sway key swing states like Nevada, where the median home price in Las Vegas surged from $345,000 in August 2020 to $480,000 in August 2024.
Despite a decrease in inflation, Harris has put forward various proposals aimed at lowering housing costs and enhancing access to homeownership. However, Trump and his surrogates have seized on economic difficulties to reinforce a central theme of their campaign: that American lives have worsened under Democratic leadership.
At a recent rally in Newton, Pennsylvania, Vance alleged—without providing evidence—that Harris had worsened the economy and tied financial issues to immigration by claiming that the arrival of immigrants contributed to rising housing costs.
“The problem with Kamala Harris is that she’s got no substance,” Vance claimed. “The problem with Kamala Harris is that she’s got no plan. And the problem with Kamala Harris is that she has been the vice president for three-and-a-half years and has failed this country.”
While Trump’s campaign is striving to undermine Harris’s economic credentials, the Guardian poll indicates that many Americans prefer her policies. The survey asked respondents about 12 economic proposals—six attributed to Trump and six to Harris—without disclosing the sources of the policies.
Among the most popular ideas, proposed by Democrats, was a federal prohibition on price gouging for groceries and food. While some economists have criticized this notion, 44% of those surveyed agreed it would positively impact the economy.
Continued Campaign Messaging
Trump reiterated many of these themes during a subsequent campaign stop in Milwaukee. At one point, he appeared to equate U.S. inflation with hyperinflation in Germany after World War I, although he confused the historical timelines.
“Inflation is country-busting; it breaks countries,” Trump stated. “Look at Germany from centuries ago.”
He also invoked his controversial phrase “Black jobs” and attempted to place the blame for economic challenges faced by U.S. communities of color on immigrants.
“They’re taking Black and Hispanic jobs. The Black populations, their unemployment is way up over the last few months, and the fake news is not reporting it,” Trump said, a statement that contradicts many economists’ consensus that immigrants do not displace American workers or depress wages in the long term.
As the rally drew to a close, Trump addressed reporters’ questions, pledging to close the border and promoting an energy policy of “drill, baby, drill.”
Trump’s rally in Wisconsin reflected a blend of entertainment, fearmongering, and political messaging, with a clear focus on economic concerns and immigration. As he continues to challenge Harris and the Biden administration, the upcoming debates will be pivotal in shaping voter opinions on these pressing issues.
Featured image credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
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