Donald Trump says he'll make a campaign stop in Colorado, will speak at a rally in Aurora
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump says he'll make a campaign stop in Colorado this week and will speak at a rally in Aurora. He made the announcement in a news release his campaign sent out on Monday evening.
"We are aware that former President Trump plans to visit Aurora on Friday. The city, including the Aurora Police Department, will work with its partner agencies as requested," the city of Aurora shared in an email on Monday night.
The event will take place on Friday afternoon at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, which is in the far northern part of the city and close to Denver International Airport.
Doors for the rally are set to open at 10 a.m. and Trump is expected to speak at 1 p.m.
Trump first said he would visit Aurora during a rally on Sept. 18. He has falsely claimed the city has been taken over by a criminal gang from Venezuela and in Monday's news release he said the city has become a "'war zone' due to the influx of violent Venezuelan prison gang members." His goal with the visit is to try to show voters that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is weak on immigration issues and border policies and that it has, in his campaign's opinion, led to disastrous results.
The Colorado Democratic Party shared a statement in response to the former president's planned visit to the state on Monday night. "The last time Donald Trump came to Colorado, he helped make certain Cory Gardner would lose his election, and he appears set to do the same to Republican candidates across the state when he visits Aurora this Friday," said Shad Murib, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, in the press release. "Coloradans aren't fooled: Trump isn't coming to Aurora to talk about lifting up working people and creating a safer, more prosperous America; Trump is coming to spew hatred and division that's not reflective of the Colorado we fight for every day. Hopefully he plays his greatest hits before his supporters start leaving the rally early, per usual."
"Donald Trump's record in Colorado is one of total failure. From attempting to play political games with our national security by ripping Space Command out of Colorado Springs to jacking up the cost of living for working people, starting a misguided trade war that hurt farmers and ranchers, and failing to control the pandemic, Colorado is ready to elect Vice President Harris and a Democratic House to reject the Trump/Vance Project 2025 agenda," the Democratic statement continued.
CBS News Colorado reached out to the Colorado Republican Party on Monday night and was awaiting a response.
A day after Trump's initial announcement, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, a Republican, said if Trump is actually coming, he would like to help the former president understand that the situation in Aurora is not the way his campaign is painting it.
"I see it as an opportunity to show him the city and break the narrative that this city is out of control when it comes to Venezuelan gangs," Coffman said at the time.