World War III, immigration and electric vehicles: 5 takeaways from Trump’s Grand Rapids speech

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Former President Donald Trump gave a blistering attack on President Joe Biden’s handling of the southern border during a speech Tuesday in Grand Rapids.

But the former president also remarked on the threat of World War III, the importance of winning the state for his reelection and more during his stop in Michigan’s second-largest city.

More than 120 people attended the invite-only speech, dubbed “remarks on Biden’s Border Bloodbath,” Tuesday, April 2, at the DeVos Place Convention Hall in downtown Grand Rapids.

Among the audience members were a number of state and federal Republican leaders, including Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra, former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, U.S. Rep. John James and more.

Trump gave his speech flanked by the sheriffs of Allegan, Berrien, Chippewa, Crawford, Hillsdale, Leelanau, Mason and Van Buren counties. Behind Trump was also a graph that he said showed illegal immigration taking off like a “rocket ship” under the Biden administration.

Here are five takeaways from Trump’s speech.

1. Trump’s border plan

Trump spent a majority of the Tuesday speech talking about violence committed by people living in the U.S. illegally.

He railed against the Biden administration, which he claimed has failed to secure the southern border with Mexico and allowed violence and drugs into the country. Trump said his administration was far more effective on border security.

If reelected, Trump promised that on his first day in office he’ll seal the border and enact the “largest domestic deportation operation in the history of our country.” He said he would also impose a naval blockade on cartels.

“We will stop the plunder, rape, slaughter and destruction of our American suburbs, cities and towns,” Trump said. “We will end deadly sanctuary cities immediately. I will shift massive portions of federal law enforcement to immigration enforcement and we will impose a naval blockade on the cartels, and we will hit the cartels very hard.”

Trump said he wanted people to immigrate to the U.S. but to do so legally.

In a virtual press conference prior to his speech, state and national Democratic leaders said Trump, not Biden, is to blame for an ongoing crisis at the southern border, because Trump sank the bipartisan Senate border security deal in February that was intended to cut back on a record number of illegal border crossings.

That bill included more than $20 billion for border security and, according to the Associated Press, would’ve provided faster and tougher immigration enforcement as well as required U.S. border authorities to turn back migrants if daily crossings reach a certain threshold.

2. Ruby Garcia

Trump’s visit came a little more than a week after Grand Rapids resident Ruby Garcia was slain allegedly by a Mexican citizen living in the U.S. illegally.

Garcia was in a dating relationship with her alleged killer, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, who police said admitted to shooting Garcia multiple times after an argument. Her body was dumped on U.S. 131.

Ortiz-Vite had been deported in September 2020 but returned to the U.S. illegally sometime after.

Trump pointed to Garcia’s death as an example of what he claims are the Biden Administration’s failed border policies.

“We threw him out of the country and crooked Joe Biden took him back and let him back in and let him stay in and he viciously killed Ruby,” Trump said. “Now Ruby’s loved ones and the community are left grieving for this incredible young woman, remembering what they called her. They said she had just this most contagious laughter and when she walked into a room she lit up that room.”

During the speech, the former president claimed he had spoken to “some of” Garcia’s family.

But Garcia’s sister told local TV station WOOD-TV 8 that Trump hadn’t spoken with her family and that she was angry her sister’s death was being politicized.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, told reporters Tuesday it’s “shameful” that Trump is using Garcia’s slaying for his own political gain.

“Ruby Garcia’s death was a horrible tragedy,” Stabenow said, speaking during a virtual press conference. “But, unfortunately, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are hellbent on exploiting Ruby’s death for their own politics.”

3. World War III

But “even bigger damage” than the Biden administration’s handling of the border could be World War III, Trump said.

Trump said Biden is dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – “all people I know very well,” he said.

“We were under no threat from anybody until this guy got into office,” Trump said. “Now they’re talking nuclear all the time. We didn’t talk nuclear.”

Trump claimed the possibility of World War III is due to a lack of respect by those world leaders of the current administration.

“You had four safe years,” he said. “You were safe because they respected your president and they respected the United States of America, and now you’re not safe. I will tell you, we could end up in World War III with this lunatic.”

4. Electric vehicles

Trump also devoted part of his speech to expressing distrust in the performance of electric vehicles. He said he would overturn Biden’s electric vehicle “mandate” on his first day in office if reelected.

He said transitioning from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones is playing into China’s strengths, because America produces the most oil of any country.

“The first day – I promise you – I will sign where the electric vehicle mandate is gone,” he said. “If you want an electric car, you can buy it, but you’re going to be able to buy every other form of push, every other form of car and engine and motor that you want, and you’re going to have it.”

Trump didn’t specify what Biden administration mandate he was referring to.

Last month the Biden administration published a rule expected to make electric vehicles more available and affordable, according to The Hill, which also reported that some experts say the rule would make gas-powered cars more expensive and less available.

Earlier this year, the White House said electric vehicle ownership has been more affordable than ever under the Biden administration, that sales of electric vehicles have quadrupled since Biden took office and that electric vehicle chargers across the country are expected to number half a million by 2026.

5. Battleground state

Michigan, which Trump won in 2016 but lost in his 2020 reelection bid, is a key state in the 2024 presidential election.

CBS News reported a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll released last week showed Trump and Biden tied in the state with 45% of voters each.

Trump acknowledged the state’s importance to his reelection and promised to return before the November election. He said he believes the country is going to “cease to exist” if he loses.

“This is a very important state. You win Michigan; you win the election,” he said. “If we don’t win on Nov. 5, I think our country is going to cease to exist. It could be the last election we ever have. I actually mean that.

“If we don’t win, I think this could be the last election we ever have. That’s where our country is going.”

But Biden campaign officials said Tuesday that Trump is the threat to American democracy.

“Now, he is pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one,’ claiming there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses in November,” said Alyssa Bradley, the Biden campaign’s Michigan communications director. “And he’s promising to pardon violent rioters who attacked law enforcement on Jan. 6.”

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