In rally reminiscent of campaign, ebullient Trump visits Youngstown
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — It has not been an easy first six months for President Donald Trump. But you wouldn’t have known it from his rally Tuesday evening at the Covelli Centre. In fact, you’d barely know time had passed at all, despite Mr. Trump’s claim that, “With few exceptions, no president has done anywhere near what we’ve done in his first six months.”
From the frequent chants urging “Build the Wall,” to Mr. Trump’s signature pledge that “We will Make America Great Again,” the event could almost have taken place during the 2016 campaign. That’s partly because, now as then, Mr. Trump
was frequently talking about promises he had yet to fulfill — not least of which is construction of that wall along the border with Mexico.
Mr. Trump did, however, have progress to report on repealing President Barack Obama’s 2010 Affordable Care Act.
“We are now one step closer to liberating our citizens from this Obamacare nightmare,” Mr. Trump told a capacity crowd of several thousand, referring to an afternoon Senate vote opening up debate on legislative options to repeal the act.
Prospects for repeal remain uncertain, however: Democrats oppose the effort, and it is not clear there is consensus among Republicans about the effort — a fact Mr. Trump tacitly acknowledged.
“For seven years, every Republican running for office promised to repeal and replace this disastrous law,” Mr. Trump said. “Now they must keep their promise.” Any senator who doesn’t, he said, “is telling America that they are fine with the Obamacare nightmare.”
During a nearly hourlong speech, Mr. Trump touted his administration’s success in other areas, including a drop in illegal immigration and his efforts to renegotiate or abandon trade deals he said have hurt American industry.
“I was looking at some of those incredible, job-producing factories,” he said. “Those jobs have left Ohio. They’re all coming back.”
At times, however, his criticisms of the status quo ran afoul of the facts. He called, for example, for a law making immigrants ineligible for welfare payments for five years — a law that already exists. He also blasted a nuclear-weapons ban the Obama administration negotiated with Iran, pledging “big, big problems” if the deal “doesn’t conform to what it’s supposed to conform to.”
Although Mr. Trump didn’t mention it, his administration earlier this month certified that Iran was in compliance with the agreement.
Much of the evening had a familiar flavor. As he did during 2016, Mr. Trump mocked protesters, nearly a half-dozen of whom appeared over the evening. “He’s going back home to his mommy,” he said of one protester. “And I’ll bet his mommy voted for us.”
Mr. Trump repeatedly castigated the media — prompting supportive boos from the crowd. “Sometimes they say, ‘ He doesn’t act presidential,’” he said of critics. “It’s so easy to act presidential, but that’s not going to get it done.”
And the past six months have seemingly done little to dim the enthusiasm of his audience.
“He can do no wrong,” said Judi Detullio, who drove 45 minutes from Ellwood City, Pa., to see the president.
Ms. Detullio praised Mr. Trump for his efforts to overhaul the Veterans Administration. As for Mr. Trump’s biggest accomplishment so far, she said, “All the rallies he has. These people here are like family, and he’s brought that to us.”
When attendees expressed surprise about or frustration with the first six months of Mr. Trump’s administration, it was usually to object that Democrats, and some members of Mr. Trump’s own party, had not done more to support his agenda.
“Hoping the man will fail is like hoping the pilot will crash your plane,” said Cedric Hays, an engineer from nearby Columbiana County.
“If he could quit getting such resistance and get some cooperation, I think it would go a long ways.”
Once home to a mighty U.S. Steel works, Youngstown faces economic challenges, Mr. Hays and others said. General Motors’ nearby Lordstown assembly plant, which had been operating three shifts last year, has since scaled back its evening shift as consumer demand for its smaller Chevrolet Cruze vehicles has waned.
Mr. Trump beat Hillary Clinton by more than eight points in Ohio in November.
“This state arguably won my father the presidency of the United States,” said Mr. Trump’s son Eric, who appeared with his wife, Lara, at the event. But a recent Gallup poll says Ohio voters are now evenly split on his performance, with 47 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving.
And although the crowd reacted warmly when Mr. Trump and other speakers called for the end of Obamacare, some supporters added notes of caution in interviews outside the rally.
Jeff Summer of Alliance, Ohio said he was “very happy with Trump. I’m disappointed the liberals have tried to slow down his agenda.” But, he said, “I’m hoping [Congress] can come to a bipartisan deal to do something for us, to bring down costs.”
And although Mr. Summer said, “Democrats are trying to block his agenda,’’ he added that “the Republicans have had seven years to get something ready. And they don’t have it.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican who also sought the presidency last year, fought to take advantage of the reform’s Medicaid expansion, and some 700,000 Ohio residents have gained coverage as a result.
More than a quarter of Mahoning County residents between the ages of 19 and 64 are now Medicaid beneficiaries — among the state’s highest percentages.
Mr. Kasich has opposed the Senate repeal effort, issuing a statement Monday saying, “The American people will come out on the losing end if Senate Republicans try to force through [repeal] with no bipartisanship, transparency or open dialogue.”
“I do think they need to slow down and get it right,” said Mr. Hays of the Obamacare overhaul. “But Obamacare is going to explode.”