President Trump touts economy in campaign-style speech in Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - President Donald Trump made an appearance in front of both Detroit Economic Club members and Michigan Republican high brass in what was framed as a speech about the economy but was delivered as a campaign speech.

True to his character, Trump even touted his off-script style at the MotorCity Casino on Tuesday. Along the way, he made remarks on Venezuela and the Panama Canal, declaring his favorite word "tariff", his showdown with the president of the Federal Reserve, while repeating many of his past grievances with former President Joe Biden and former Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris.

While election season won't ramp up for several months, Tuesday's appearance made it apparent the president was already focusing on the midterm races.

Trump makes stump-style speech Detroit

For an hour, Trump spoke to visitors at the Sound Board Theater in Detroit.

The president celebrated Detroit's auto industry, labeling Ford's praise earlier in the day as validation that his efforts to bring manufacturing to the U.S. were working.

He's used tariffs on products shipped into the U.S. as the engine to make that push a reality. 

"I said recently, I said tariff is my favorite word in the whole dictionary," he said during the speech.

However, not as many businesses are on board with the policy, which has led to higher costs on raw materials. That cost is eventually pushed onto the consumer, opponents of tariffs have argued. 

That included Mary Buchzeiger, the CEO of an auto supplier in Auburn Hills. She spoke before Trump on a panel about the state's economy and the uncertainty that hovers over businesses caught in the middle.

Trump tours Rouge plant as protests build

The president's first stop was at Ford's truck plant in Dearborn. 

His communications advisor posted a clip of the president's entourage on their way to the Rouge Center. The president's tour of the Ford plant included working with Chairman Bill Ford Jr. and President Jim Farley.

"They just said their business is better than ever. They are going around the clock, they are doing expansions they are building more plants in the United States because of tariffs," Trump said. "Before it used to go three hours around the clock."

Bill Ford added that the plant production is expanding to 24 hours, six days a week, which shows the demand for the product.

"We have the best-selling product in America," Ford said. "We have the best-selling product in America, and we have a great relationship with President Trump and his staff. He is personally great to work with. We are adding market share and adding jobs."

Trump lavished praise on all the US automakers, claiming the environmentalists would not have let them survive (under another Democrat president).

"I don't even think about the USMCA, I want Mexico and Canada to survive, but we don't need their product," Trump said. "We want cars made from here."

He then lavished praise on the Ford F-150.

"The quality is unbelievable," he said. "I don't know too much about cars, but I know about getting people working. All I can tell you is that people talk so much about the 150 and it has been for a long time. They make a great product." 

Meanwhile, protesters were building outside the casino where Trump is expected to give remarks to members of the economic club. 

Air Force One lands at 11:56 a.m.

The president and Air Force One landed at Detroit Metro Airport just before noon on Tuesday. 

Trump walked down the stairs from the plane and immediately entered a vehicle guarded by members of the Secret Service.

What we know:

Tuesday's stop in Michigan, a state where he earned 49% of the vote in 2024, is the president's first stop in the state since last April. He is expected to speak about manufacturing and the economy during the Economic Club visit. His visit comes just ahead of the start of the Detroit Auto Show.

The president is also scheduled to visit the Ford Rouge complex in Dearborn, where the F-Series trucks are made.

Last time he was in the state, he announced new fighter jets headed to Selfridge Air National Guard Base during a rally in Warren.

Local perspective:

The president's visit is expected to draw protests as well. 

Protesters were in Detroit over the weekend rallying against a fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week.

Dig deeper:

Trump's last visit with the Detroit Economic Club came while he was on the campaign trail in the fall of 2024. During that stop, he made comments about the city that drew ire from some.

"Our whole country will end up being like Detroit" if Kamala Harris is elected president, he said during that visit.

His remarks drew backlash from many leaders, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and then-Mayor Mike Duggan, who praised the city's progress.

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