Playing electoral defense, Trump says Biden is ‘against God’

CLEVELAND — President Donald Trump billed his trip to Ohio on Thursday as a chance to promote economic recovery, but he quickly pivoted to a deeply personal attack on Joe Biden, even questioning without foundation the former vice president’s faith in God.

Even for a president known for blunt criticism, Trump’s remarks stood out and they signaled how contentious the campaign may get over the coming months.

“He’s against God. He’s against guns. He’s against energy, our kind of energy. I don’t think he’s going to do too well in Ohio,” Trump said.

Trump also used his trip to talk trade, telling workers at a Whirlpool plant, “I will stand up to the foreign trade cheaters and violators that hate our country.”

Barely one month after a new North America trade agreement went into effect, Trump announced his intention to reimpose tariffs on aluminum produced in Canada, saying United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has advised him the step was necessary to defend the U.S. steel industry. But the move also sets up the possibility of retaliation against U.S. companies.

Trump also promoted the economic prosperity much of the nation enjoyed before the coronavirus pandemic and said that he is best suited to rebuild a crippled economy. But his handling of the outbreak has weakened his bid for a second term.

The U.S. has nearly 4.9 million coronavirus cases with almost 160,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins

University.

The virus already altered the trip even before Trump landed, with word that GOP Gov. Mike DeWine had tested positive for the coronavirus. DeWine had planned to meet with Trump and join the president on a visit to the Whirlpool Corp. plant. DeWine’s office said the 73-year-old governor had no symptoms and was returning to Columbus.

Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates responded to Trump’s comments by saying, “Joe Biden’s faith is at the core of who he is; he’s lived it with dignity his entire life, and it’s been a source of strength and comfort in times of extreme hardship.”