GOP NOMINEE VISITS
Trump in Toledo: 'Help is on its way'
Republican nominee rallies with thousands at Huntington Center
7/27/2016
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks to the crowd at the Huntington Center tonight in Toledo.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Billionaire turned GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump railed against Hillary Clinton, promised to crush a controversial international trade deal, lambasted the state of Ohio's economy under Democratic rule, and vowed to protect the nation from ISIS during his rally today in downtown Toledo.
Mr. Trump fired up the crowd several times talking about fighting ISIS and his plans to build a wall between the United States and Mexico — comparing it to the Great Wall of China.
"I am going to make it even better," he said. "Ohio has lost one in three manufacturing jobs since (former president Bill) Clinton signed NAFTA," Mr. Trump said.
"Probably the worst agreement ever signed in the history of this county — probably the history of the world," he said.
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He took equal shots at the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal negotiated by President Barack Obama's administration.
"Trans-Pacific Partnership is a total disaster," Mr. Trump said to the cheering crowd of 8,879 people in Hunting Center.
He said said the Trans-Pacific Partnership would be "worse than NAFTA" and "drive jobs out of Ohio and Toledo."
"It would be a disaster for Ohio; it will be a disaster for Toledo," he said. "We cant let it happen and the one way we know it wont happen is to elect Donald Trump."
Mr. Trump said too many Ohioans live below the poverty line.
"Since 2000 the number of people on food stamps in Ohio has nearly tripled ... Help is on its way in the form of Donald Trump," he said to cheers.
He drew even more cheers with his trademark "build the wall" statement.
No subject appears to be off limits. The Republican presidential candidate has talked about Iraq, ISIS, healthcare, and even Secretary of State John Kerry's broken leg in Toledo.
"We've been fighting this war for 15 years and we can't win it," Mr. Trump said about Iraq. "I didn't want to fight in the first place. But we can't let these people chop off heads and drown people. And Hillary Clinton's policies got us into this mess."
Mr. Trump also mocked Mr. Kerry for breaking his leg in a bicycle accident.
"I can promise you I will not enter a bicycle race as president," he said.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has garnered significant attention in recent weeks, thanks to Trump.
He said he might not support NATO nations if they are attacked. Mr. Trump's reasoning was because NATO countries do not pay back the United States.
"We're spending our money to defend them. You gotta pay, you gotta pay," Mr. Trump said.
Some took Mr. Trump's comments as he wouldn't protect the Baltic nations from being invaded by Russia.
Every four years, Ohio is the center of the political universe.
The state’s 18 electoral votes are often the most important in deciding the outcome of the election.
Trump said he'll be in the state on a regular basis until Election Day.
"Ohio is going to see so much of me you'll beg me not to come back," Mr. Trump said. "We'll be in Toledo."
After a 62-minute speech, Trump left the stage, but not before receiving thunderous applause for his closing remarks.
"We're going to have our wall, we're going to get rid of Obamacare, we're going to bring jobs back, we're going to bring our jobs back to Toledo, Ohio, we're not going to let other countries take our jobs. And if they do, there will be consequences."
Mr. Trump continued, saying Toledo residents will be calling the White House after he's elected to tell him they aren't used to winning so much.
"I'll say, 'I'm sorry, we're going to keep winning and winning and winning,’ and we're going to make America great again. I love you Ohio."