Trump campaigns in battleground Michigan ahead of midterms

'Oil prices rose less than expected, no regrets on Iran war'

Blasts Muslim Democratic candidate as 'jihadist'

Sparring with Obama after back-to-back Michigan rallies

President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Oct. 12 (local time), stumping for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. [Reuters]
President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Oct. 12 (local time), stumping for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. [Reuters]

President Donald Trump doubled down on the justification for the Iran war Sunday, calling the resulting rise in gasoline prices "a small price to pay" to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. With high energy costs and living expenses emerging as key issues ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Trump sought to reassure voters by arguing the war's economic impact had been less severe than anticipated.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan — one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds in the midterms — Trump addressed the rise in oil prices caused by the Iran war, according to foreign media reports Sunday (local time).

"I thought gas prices would double or triple, but they didn't go that far," Trump said. "It's a small price to pay for taking nuclear weapons away from fanatics." He then reaffirmed his position that military action against Iran was justified, adding, "I have no regrets."

Trump also repeated his earlier assertion that the Iran war would end one way or another. Growing concern that prolonged conflict and rising energy prices could hurt Republicans in the midterms appeared to push Trump to emphasize the war's achievements.

The rally also featured sharp attacks on Abdul El-Sayed, the Muslim Democratic candidate running for Michigan's US Senate seat.

"I came here to stop a jihadist member of the Muslim Brotherhood from becoming a United States senator," Trump said. "Jihadist" refers to an Islamic holy warrior or militant.

Trump also alleged that several of El-Sayed's family members had ties to Islamic terrorist organizations, and claimed that if El-Sayed won, the Democratic Party would bring jihadists into the United States to commit violence and terrorism. He provided no specific evidence to support the allegations.

Trump also brought the father of Todd Beamer — who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks — onto the stage, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to invoke the memory of 9/11 and link El-Sayed, a Muslim, to Islamic extremism.

The Michigan Senate race is one of the most closely watched contests in this year's midterms for both parties. El-Sayed, considered a strong progressive within the Democratic Party, is locked in a tight race against Republican candidate Mike Rogers.

The seat was previously held by a Democrat, making it a critical target for the Democratic Party seeking to reclaim a Senate majority and for Republicans trying to hold their edge.

The stakes drew former President Barack Obama to Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday to campaign for Democratic candidates. Trump visited the same state just one day later, effectively staging a counter-rally.

Trump took a swipe at Obama, claiming, "Yesterday they didn't have crowds like this," and boasting that his rally had drawn a larger crowd.

Trump also took aim at Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, mocking him for having received it "without even knowing why" and making clear his frustration at never having received the award himself.

He then turned his criticism toward Norway, saying, "I don't like Norway. Frankly, Norway is terrible. Norway has become a mess." The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Trump also argued that his tariff policies had driven a revival of American manufacturing, appealing for Republican support in Michigan by claiming the state's auto industry had benefited from those policies.

Rapper Nicki Minaj also joined Trump at the rally. During his speech, Trump made remarks rating the physical appearance of Republican candidates before going on to compliment Minaj's physique.


sjy@heraldcorp.com