Trump On Cities Plagued By Violent Crime: 'We Want To Build Factories In Baltimore, Not Beijing'
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated his goal for the country to become more reliant on its own goods, saying he wants the U.S. to "build factories in Baltimore, not Beijing."
The president made the comments during a press briefing at the White House in which he announced a surge of federal law enforcement in some U.S. cities "plagued by violent crime."
The surge, part of Operation LeGend, will result in hundreds of federal agents heading to Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to combat violent crime.
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While the main focus of Wednesday's briefing was on violent crime, Trump also spoke about a number of other topics, including the economy, school choice and efforts to defund law enforcement.
"While others want to destroy opportunity, shut down businesses, and send our jobs overseas, we are hiring Americans and we are buying American product," Trump said. "We want to build factories in Baltimore, not Beijing. We want to make our products in Chicago, not Shanghai. We want the American Dream for American children, and I will fight to deliver that dream."
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High crime levels, the president said, result in fewer opportunities for Americans.
"Opportunity cannot thrive where there is violence. Prosperity cannot flourish where there is bloodshed. And security cannot exist where there are violent criminals who are able to maim and murder with impunity. That is what Operation LeGend is all about," Trump said.
Despite Trump suggesting earlier in the week that Baltimore could see an additional federal law enforcement presence, the city was not included in Wednesday's announcement, though Attorney General William Barr said additional cities will be added to the program "in the weeks ahead."