Trump speaks with UAW members in Michigan
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - One day after Joe Biden made history by becoming the first sitting president to join a picket line, former President Donald Trump headed to Michigan to speak with autoworkers.
Trump delivered a speech at Drake Enterprises, a non-unionized automotive manufacturing plant in Clinton Township.
After Trump announced that he would be visiting Michigan to autoworkers, Biden announced he would also be making a stop in Michigan.
This received criticism from Trump, who claimed the president was only visiting autoworkers because he was going to.
"Crooked Joe Biden had no intention of going to visit the United Autoworkers until I announced that I would be heading to Michigan to be with them," Trump said in a social media post. "If the UAW 'leadership' doesn't ENDORSE me, and if I don't win the Election, the Autoworkers are 'toast'..."
The frontrunner skipped the second Republican primary debate to deliver his speech to autoworkers. The debate will happen at the Reagan Presidential Library in California.
The seven candidates that took the stage were Ron Desantis, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Doug Burgham, and former Vice President Mike Pence.
To qualify for the second debate, candidates had to receive at least 3% support in two national polls or 3% in one national poll and two polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, four of the early-voting states.
While Biden joined UAW members on the picket line, he delivered a speech and said they deserved a pay raise and better benefits.
Autoworkers have been striking against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis since contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14.
"You gave up a lot when the companies were in trouble," said Biden during his speech. "Now, they're doing incredibly well. And guess what? You should be doing incredibly well, too."
After visiting Michigan, Biden's campaign also released its first anti-Trump ad, which attacked the former president for his record with union members.
The 30-second ad will air nationally, on cable networks, and in the battleground state.