Harris Campaign Attacks Trump for Rally Where Supporters Chanted 'We Love Hitler, We Love Trump'

To draw votes ahead of the November election, former president Donald Trump has been actively holding political rallies and meet-ups. Recently, his campaign announced in a news release that he would be speaking on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Howell, Michigan. After a failed attempt to assassinate him in Butler, Pennsylvania, this will be his first rally in a region that many have claimed has a White supremacist stronghold. Ahead of his visit, MAGA supporters held a march from Grand River Avenue to the Howell Carnegie District Library, chanting 'We love Hitler. We love Trump.' The demonstration has drawn severe criticism from various political quarters, including Democratic nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign. 

“The racists and White supremacists who marched in Trump’s name last month in Howell have all watched him praise Hitler, defend neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, and tell far-Right extremists to ‘stand back and stand by.’ Trump’s actions have encouraged them, and Michiganders can expect more of the same when he comes to town next week,” Alyssa Bradley, the Michigan Communications Director for Harris' campaign, told The Washington Post. The line of attack also came due to the town's long association with the Ku Klux Klan.

According to USA Today, the Livingston Diversity Council and Howell Area Chamber of Commerce also condemned the demonstration with a statement. “Although we recognize their right to free speech, these demonstrators do not reflect the values of the Howell community...We (stand) united in condemning the group's racist ideology.... We are very proud to be a welcoming and inclusive community, and this is likely why we were targeted by this outside group,” they explained before adding, “We would also like to acknowledge all our residents who quickly reacted to this event and made it clear that we do not share their views." 

U.S. Rep., Elissa Slotkin, too strongly objected to the racist march. She penned on X, "I'm sorry to see this in Howell, a place where many have worked hard to change the town's image. Racism and antisemitism were on full display from this group, and Howell community leaders are right to call it out." 

State Rep., Bob Bezotte, of Michigan’s 50th House District, also slammed the demonstrators, as per Livingston Daily. “That’s very disgraceful to our World War II veterans, especially the families and loved ones. Thousands of people died for our freedom, and for them to do that is very disgraceful.” He further condemned, “Anybody who does that should be ashamed of themselves."

In a retaliatory response, Trump's team called Harris's spokesperson's remarks 'absurd' and pointed out that President Joe Biden had given a speech in Howell, Michigan, in 2021. The state's Republicans argued that Biden had been to the district to support the candidacy of Elissa Slotkin, a rising star in the Michigan Democratic party, whose district included Howell. “President Trump will travel to Howell to deliver a strong message on law and order, making it clear that crime, violence, and hate of any form will have zero place in our country when he is back in the White House,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, said ahead of his visit while dismissing Harris' campaign strategic attacks.