Trump touts Soleimani strike and slaps at Democrats during Milwaukee rally
President Trump touted the strike on Iran's Qassem Soleimani and bashed Democratic candidates at a rally Tuesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Democratic presidential candidates took the stage for their seventh debate. The rally also came as the Senate readies itself for Mr. Trump's impeachment trial, which is expected to begin on Tuesday, January 21.
After reminiscing about his narrow 2016 win in the Badger State, and rattling off what he considers to be some of his greatest accomplishments on trade and jobs, the president launched into the story of the death of Soleimani. The Iranian military leader's death has been seamlessly rolled into the president's campaign material.
"At my direction, the United States military launched a flawless precision strike that killed the world's number one terrorist, number one terrorist," the president told his enthusiastic audience. "You know who that is? Qassem Soleimani, number one terrorist in the world."
The president capitalized on Soleimani's death to hit Democrats who questioned whether the death of Soleimani was the best strategy for the U.S.
In particular, Mr. Trump criticized Senator Elizabeth Warren, telling the crowd he doesn't believe the reporting that Sanders told Warren in 2018 that a woman couldn't win the presidency.
"I don't believe that Bernie said that, I really don't," the president told his supporters.
Tuesday's rally is Mr. Trump's second campaign rally of 2020, coming less than a week after his rally in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday. The president's rally pace is only expected to pick up as the election year continues.
Mr. Trump eked out a win in Wisconsin in 2016 by just under 23,000 votes, at least in part because he was able to mobilize white working class voters in rural areas and small cities and towns across the state.
Last week, The Associated Press reported that Wisconsin Republicans froze out the remaining longshot GOP contenders challenging Mr. Trump, Bill Weld and Joe Walsh, by deciding to place only the president's name on the Republican primary ballot. The two can still make it onto the ballot if they submit 8,000 signatures by January 28.
During his rally, the president called impeachment the "greatest hoax" ever "perpetrated" in the United States.