- RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 18/06/2024 20:51

'Defensive' Trump has to stay in 'horrible city' after historic gaffe

Donald Trump has switched up his lodging plans for the Republican National Convention — which kicks off July 15 — after calling Milwaukee "horrible." When the GOP convention takes place, Trump said he will rest his "beautiful blue eyes" in Milwaukee, not Chicago. The 45th president batted down reports that he planned to crash at his Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. But when reporters questioned the campaign, on Tuesday afternoon Trump's camp reversed course and confirmed he would stay in town in the crucial battleground state. "The president is planning to stay in Milwaukee for the Convention," Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ABC7.ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans subpoena ex-Capitol Police intel head for Jan. 6 inquiryThe reason behind staying 90 miles away from Milwaukee was based on Trump's personal preference to stay in his own hotel. Security and logistics concerns played a factor, according to The New York Times, citing anonymous sources.Trump has backtracked after he was caught disparaging the RNC host city of Milwaukee as a "horrible city."And during his rally in Racine, Wisconsin on Tuesday, the former president boasted: "I'm the one that picked Milwaukee."The city controversy stemmed from a meeting with high-powered CEOs that reportedly went sideways because Trump couldn't stay on topic. He has since tried to clean up the mess. He has claimed after the comment that he meant it was riddled with violence and challenged its voting integrity. "He was talking about how terrible crime and voter fraud are," his campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said.When he first ran for president in 2016, Trump had scheduled a stop in Chicago. That event was scuttled after thousands of attendees parted into opposing camps of pro-MAGA supporters and counter-protesters.