Former President Donald J. Trump made headlines on Friday night in Minnesota, where he falsely claimed to have won the state twice and declared it in play for him in 2024. Speaking at a fund-raiser for the state’s Republican Party in St. Paul, Mr. Trump asserted, “I thought we won it in 2016. I know we won it in 2020.”
Despite the fact that the last time a Republican presidential candidate won Minnesota was in 1972, Mr. Trump, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, announced that his campaign was expanding its electoral map to include the state. This move comes as he seeks to avenge his loss to Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the 2020 election.
Mr. Trump’s appearance at the party’s annual Lincoln Reagan dinner was a departure from the usual campaign battlegrounds, as he continues to make waves during his criminal trial in New York. Earlier in the day, he attended his youngest son Barron’s high school graduation in Florida before heading to Minnesota.
During his speech in St. Paul, Mr. Trump emphasized his support for law and order, claiming credit for quelling riots in the state following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers in 2020. He boldly stated, “I saved your city. If you didn’t have me as president, you wouldn’t have Minneapolis today.”
However, not everyone was impressed by Mr. Trump’s claims. Minnesota’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz, criticized the former president for his false assertions about winning the state in 2020, calling them “an affront to democracy.” Governor Walz pointed out that Mr. Trump lost Minnesota by over seven points and suggested that Joe Biden had a better chance in Texas than Mr. Trump did in Minnesota.
Despite the controversy surrounding his statements, Mr. Trump is set to headline the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Dallas on Saturday. This will mark the ninth time that the former president, known for his support of gun rights, has addressed the group.
As Mr. Trump continues to make waves in the political arena, his bold claims and unapologetic demeanor are sure to keep him in the spotlight as the 2024 election approaches.
