Trump promises U.S. manufacturing revival in North Carolina speech

Former President Donald Trump delivered remarks at a campaign event in Mint Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday. 

Speaking at a manufacturing facility, Trump addressed issues ranging from national security to manufacturing jobs. He questioned why the father of a shooter in Butler, Pennsylvania, hired a high-powered attorney from Pittsburgh, asking, “Why does he need that? How did he get that?”

Trump also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris, stating, "Yesterday, I was in Georgia to outline my plan for an American Manufacturing Renaissance. Now, today, Kamala Harris is supposedly announcing her so-called plans to support manufacturing and wealth creation—to which I have a very simple reply: WHY HASN’T SHE DONE IT?”

Addressing threats from Iran, Trump said if re-elected, he would respond to any assassination threats against him by threatening to "blow [Iran's] largest cities and the country itself to smithereens." He referenced two assassination attempts on him, potentially linked to Iran, though he did not provide specific evidence.

Trump also reiterated his commitment to sparking a “manufacturing renaissance” in the U.S., promising to lower taxes, reduce energy costs, and ease regulations to attract jobs from other countries. His visit to North Carolina underscores the state’s significance as a key battleground in the 2024 election.