Former President Donald Trump delivered a national security-heavy talk to the National Guard Association in Detroit Monday.
From the beginning, Trump, who is the Republican nominee for President, made the case that the world was less safe now than when he was in office.
Earlier in the day, his campaign sent out a press release noting Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath-laying honoring servicemembers who died during the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.
Trump said senior officials in the Biden administration who led the operation need to be held accountable.
“We’ll get the resignation of every single senior official in charge of the Afghanistan calamity to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day. You know? You have to fire people,” Trump said.
The troop withdrawal was largely negotiated by the Trump administration but completed under President Joe Biden months after Trump left office.
Trump made multiple references to cleaning house in the federal government during his talk, receiving applause from conference attendees when promising to keep the country out of international conflict.
He also lobbed several attacks tied to national security and the southern U.S. border at his Democratic opponent in the November general election, Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a written statement, Harris for President spokesperson Ammar Moussa said “Trump cannot be trusted to keep us safe.”
“Vice President Harris is a proven leader on the world stage and will use her expertise to ensure America’s security, defeat our adversaries, and stand with our allies around the world,” Moussa said.
Monday was the first of a series of appearances the Trump campaign is planning for Michigan this week as both campaigns try to lock in voters in a tight race. Musician Kid Rock and former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii also joined him on stage.
Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is scheduled to appear in Big Rapids on Tuesday, and Trump himself plans to speak in Potterville on Thursday.
