House Republicans were quick to stick up for former President Donald Trump Thursday after he reportedly ripped Milwaukee, the site of next month’s Republican National Convention, as a “horrible city” — but undercut their defense by giving conflicting accounts of the context.
“Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” the 77-year-old said during an appearance on Capitol Hill with GOP lawmakers, according to Punchbowl News, triggering backlash against the outlet from Wisconsin Republicans, in particular.
“I was in the room. President Trump did not say this. There is no better place than Wisconsin in July,” Rep. Bryan Steil, whose district includes Milwaukee County, posted on X.
“Another classic example of sh–ty reporting by a Democratic Party shill pretending to be a journalist,” added Rep. Derrick Van Orden. “Lies busy [sic] omission.”
Van Orden, one of six Republicans to represent the Badger State in the House and Senate, said the former president had been discussing Milwaukee having the third-highest violent crime rate of any US city.
Rep. Glenn Grothman, who represents some of Milwaukee’s suburbs, told the hometown Journal Sentinel newspaper that Trump was making an election-related comment because he “felt we need to do better in urban centers around the country.”
Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) told The Post that the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee was discussing “Democratic policies” and “ballot security” — and in that context had expressed concerns about Milwaukee.
Trump, 77, also expressed similar worries about the critical swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia, she added.
“I was in the meeting. President Trump never disparaged Milwaukee,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) also posted on X. “Just another Democrat hoax.”
The Democratic National Committee was quick to comment on the remark to highlight Trump’s electoral loss in Wisconsin to Joe Biden in the last presidential election.
“The dislike is mutual — in 2020, Milwaukee County went for President Biden by around 40 points, helping to flip the state blue and send Joe Biden to the White House,” the DNC said in a statement to CBS 58 News.
Trump may also be barred from attending the convention should his upcoming sentence for his Manhattan hush money conviction include prison time or home confinement.
The 45th president is scheduled to be sentenced July 11 after being found guilty of 34 counts of business fraud for concealing evidence of “hush money” payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election in order to buy her silence about a decade-old alleged extramarital affair.
If Judge Juan Merchan places Trump on house arrest at his Fifth Avenue triplex — or sends him to Rikers Island — it is possible that the ex-president would still be able to campaign or attend the convention remotely.
One former Republican National Committee official told The Post last week: “My suspicion of, what you do if the guy is actually in jail — which, who knows, right? — I think you probably have him do some kind of video in advance just in case.”
Campaign insiders also noted that the former president does not have to be physically present to accept the GOP nod for what will be the third consecutive time.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
