Trump Michigan rally live: president speaks at 100th day event
In a pre-recorded interview due to air tonight, Trump told ABC news that Pete Hegseth would make a 'great' defence secretary.
'He's a talented guy. He's young, smart, highly educated, and I think he's going to be a very good defence, hopefully a great defence secretary, but he'll be a very good defence secretary,' Trump said.
Trump said he had a 'talk' with Hegseth but declined to divulge what was said.
Asked if he had 100 per cent confidence in Hegseth, Trump replied: 'I don't have 100 per cent confidence in anything … Do I have 100 per cent — it's a stupid question.'
Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host, is said to have shared sensitive information about the timings and locations of airstrikes on Houthi militia in Yemen on the encrypted Signal app in a private chat group that included his wife and brother.
He also sent the same information to national security officials in a group that mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic.
After just under 90 minutes, Trump has wrapped up his speech and is entertaining the crowd with his signature two-fisted, double-pump dance to the Village People's YMCA.
Trump appeared in a jubilant mood as he rattled off his achievements over the first 100 days of his second administration.
'Every single day of my administration will continue to live by the motto: promises made and you've seen it before, promises kept,' he told 4,000 supporters in Macomb County.
'I love you, Michigan.'
Earlier, Trump took aim at Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve.
While defending his handling of the economy, Trump told the Michigan crowd that inflation and interest rates were down 'despite the fact that I have a Fed person who's not really doing a good job'.
'But I won't say that. I want to be very nice. I want to be very nice and respectful to the Fed,' Trump said.
'You're not supposed to criticise the Fed, you're supposed to let him do his own thing, but I know much more about interest rates than he does, believe me.'
In recent weeks, stockmarkets have plunged whenever Trump has hinted at firing Powell.
Despite reports of Elon Musk having WWE-style shouting matches with his cabinet secretaries in the White House, Trump's admiration for the SpaceX chief executive remains undimmed.
'He's an amazing guy and he's a great American and he loves our country and loves you. And he's paid a big price to help,' Trump said of Musk.
'It's not fair what they've done to him, too. That is a disgrace.
'But I have a feeling it's going to end up being good for him.'
The president is singling out cabinet members, staff and supporters for special mention, and inviting some of them up to address the crowd.
Trump said that he had 'so much confidence' in Pete Hegseth, his embattled defence secretary, who was among those in attendance at the rally.
Hegseth has faced an internal revolt at the Pentagon as well as calls to step down after he shared classified details of a military strike on the Houthis in Yemen on an unsecured messaging app.
'The fake news is after him, really after him. But he's a tough cookie,' the president said.
Addressing his tariff policy, Trump assured the crowd that he thought 'it's going to work out'.
'With my China tariffs, we're ending the greatest job theft in the history of the world,' he said. 'China's taken more jobs from us than any country has ever taken from another country.'
Trump said the sweeping tariffs announced on April 2 would reverse trade imbalances that he claimed were costing the US $1 trillion a year.
'We've been abused by friend and foe, and in many cases our friend has abused us more than our foe,' he said.
Trump's speech is momentarily interrupted as a protester is escorted out of the crowd.
'Is that a radical left lunatic?' Trump asked. 'He's just a child. Get him out.'
The president later realised it was a woman who was being evicted.
'And she now has to go home to her mother who's a big Trump fan,' he said. 'I'm sorry, I said he and it's a she, I'm sorry.'
As Trump highlights some of the achievements from his second term, his supporters chant in unison 'three, three'.
Trump has floated running for a third term in 2028, which is prohibited by the US constitution.
The Trump Organization has begun selling 'Trump 2028' T-shirts and hats, and many in the crowd are wearing them.
The president's 100th day rally has the feel of a campaign event, but this time he is standing behind a presidential seal as he delivers his freewheeling speech.
Trump is hitting many of the same notes he made during his campaign last year, hurling insults at Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, attacking windmills and giving shout-outs to his loyal fanbase, such as the supporter who wears a brick suit to symbolise Trump's southern border wall.
Trump has seen a string of negative polls come out to coincide with his 100th day in office, and shared a theory for why that might be.
'They do these polls where they interview far more Democrats,' he said. 'I saw them over the past few days. I had them checked out. They interview far more Democrats for the polls.
'They say Trump has only a 44 per cent approval rating … if it was legit it would be 60 or 70.'
In Trump's telling, prices have dropped on everything from energy to eggs, groceries and prescription drugs since he took office.
'Prices are coming way down,' he said.
'I've got to say it again and again, because … they're trying to say the prices have gone up.'
Trump then played a dystopian-style video showing the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, which elicited cheers of 'USA, USA' from the crowd.
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'Under President Trump, America is a dumping ground for criminals no longer,' he said.
Trump credited his promise to crack down on illegal immigration as the number one reason for his victory in the presidential election in November.
He said his administration had 'designated two bloodthirsty transnational gangs', Tren de Aragua and MS-13, as terrorist organisations.
'We got to get them out of here before they kill more people. They've killed plenty. We tried to get it higher but the courts are giving us a hard time, can you believe it?'
Democrats delivered mass immigration, he said. 'We are delivering mass deportation.'
Trump lauded the work of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency in gutting government agencies of tens of thousands of federal workers.
'After a lifetime of unelected bureaucrats stealing your paychecks, attacking your values and trampling your freedoms, we are stopping their gravy train, ending their power trips and telling thousands of corrupt, incompetent and unnecessary deep state bureaucrats 'you're fired. Get the hell out of here. You're fired. Get out of here',' he said, breaking out his signature catchphrase from The Apprentice.
'In 100 days we have delivered the most profound change in Washington in nearly 100 years. I read an editorial today that this is the most consequential presidency in history. How about that?'
He added: 'We're ushering in the golden age of America.'
Trump took a swipe at his predecessor, Joe Biden, telling the audience that they 'finally have a president that is defending our laws and our nation'.
'Instead of putting China first, I'm putting Michigan first and I'm putting America first,' he said.
Trump is running through a checklist of achievements over the first 100 days, citing the cost of living, border security and immigration enforcement.
He said his administration was getting 'transgender insanity the hell out of our government'.
'Above all we're saving the American dream … and it's happening fast, too,' he said, calling it a 'revolution of common sense'.
'We like strong borders, we like good education, we want low inflation, we like being able to buy a beautiful car.'
Signs in the expo centre where the rally is being held read 'JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!', 'THE GOLDEN AGE,' and 'BUY AMERICAN HIRE AMERICAN'.
President Trump has taken the stage at the Macomb Community College in Michigan, where a raucous crowd of about 4,000 supporters have gathered.
'I'm thrilled to be back in this beautiful state,' he said.
'This is the best first 100 days of any presidency, and we've just gotten started.'
President Trump spoke to Mark Carney to congratulate the Canadian prime minister on his election victory, a statement from Carney's office said.
'The leaders agreed on the importance of Canada and the United States working together — as independent, sovereign nations — for their mutual betterment,' the statement continued.
'To that end, the leaders agreed to meet in person in the near future.'
As recently as yesterday, Trump continued to call for Canada to become the US's 'cherished 51st state'.
Carney galvanised the anger felt by a majority of Canadians at Trump's threats of annexation to claim victory over the Conservative Party in Monday's election.
President Trump praised Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic governor of Michigan, for her work with Republicans to 'save' Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
'I'm not supposed to do that,' Trump said while addressing the Michigan National Guard.
'She's a Democrat. They say, 'Don't do that. Don't have her here.' I said, 'No, she's going to be here.' She's done a very good job, frankly, and she was very much involved with the Republicans,' Trump added.
'They worked together on saving [the military base], and it was not easy. So I want to thank you very much, Gretchen. Good job.'
This month, Whitmer faced criticism from some members of her party for attending a White House meeting with Trump.
President Trump's calls for Canada to become the 51st US state were credited with helping the Liberal Party claim a historic fourth consecutive term in office at Monday's general election.
Mark Carney, the prime minister, told supporters after his victory was confirmed that Trump was trying to 'break us so he can own us'.
'That will never happen,' he said, adding that difficult times were ahead.
Carney is likely to be closely monitoring Trump's remarks tonight, which are being delivered only 30 miles from the Canadian border city of Windsor.
Before his rally, Trump delivered remarks at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Warren, Michigan, where he announced that the military base would be home to a new fleet of 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighter planes.
The F-15s, which Trump described as 'the best in the world', will replace A-10 Warthogs which are being retired from service.
Trump was joined at the rally by Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, and Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic governor of Michigan, who said the investment was critical to the state economy.
'I am really damn happy we're here to celebrate this recapitalisation at Selfridge,' Whitmer said. 'It's crucial for the Michigan economy, it's crucial for the men and women here, for our homeland security and for our future. I am so, so grateful that this announcement was made today, and I appreciate all the work.'
While Trump has downplayed the impact of tariffs on the US economy, voters polled for The Times by YouGov saw the trade policy as his biggest mistake so far.
Only 11 per cent reported being better off since Trump took office in January, and less than a quarter of those surveyed saw the economy as 'excellent' or 'good'.
The same poll found that Trump was viewed favourably by 39 per cent of Americans and unfavourably by 51 per cent, with those figures split heavily along partisan lines.
Regardless of what grade Trump gives himself on Tuesday night, 59 per cent of US voters marked his performance as fair or poor over the first 100 days, with 37 per cent saying it was excellent or good.
Before the rally, President Trump announced that vehicles and parts would no longer be subject to his tariffs, including 25 per cent duties on Canadian and Mexican goods, and on steel and aluminium, as well as 10 per cent applied to goods from most other countries.
Credits on imported parts of up to 15 per cent of the value of vehicles assembled in the US will be available for a limited time.
The tariff relief on car manufacturing will be well received in Michigan, a swing state he won in November where the auto industry accounts for 20 per cent of the workforce.
President Trump is holding a rally in Michigan to mark his 100th day in office.
In his largest political event since retaking the White House, Trump, 78, will tout his administration's accomplishments to rein in illegal immigration, slash waste in the federal government and enact protectionist trade policies.
Thousands of spectators are expected at the rally, dubbed the '100th Day in Office Achievement Speech', in Macomb Community College, north of Detroit, which is due to begin at 6pm ET (11pm BST).
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