In response to Wilbur Ross and Eugene Scalia’s appearances in Ohio and Pennsylvania today, Democratic National Committee spokesperson John Weber released the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s lackies can’t deny his three and a half years of disastrous trade failures that have cost jobs and devastated our economy. Instead of standing up to China and protecting American jobs, Trump lost the trade war he started and left working families to deal with the consequences. Working people are seeing through Trump’s broken promises and incompetence, and this November they’re going to put his failed presidency to an end.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES TO OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA

Promise: “China will come to the table. They will give us everything we want. That won’t even be a hard negotiation.” [Trump Press Conference, Omaha NE, 5/15/2015]

• Reality: Trump’s disastrous trade war with China cost tens of billions of dollars, slowed economic growth, destroyed nearly $2 trillion in stock market value, and hampered business investment.

• Reality: Trump’s trade war added $800 in annual costs for each American household.

Promise: “Don’t sell your house. […] We’re going to get those values up. We’re going to get those jobs coming back, and we’re going to fill up those factories or rip them down and build brand new ones.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Youngstown OH, 7/25/2017]

• Reality: Nearly 1.4 million Ohioans have filed for unemployment since March.

• Reality: PBS: ‘He lied.’ Ohio voters struggle after Trump promised jobs. “‘He lied,’ said Trish Amato, who worked at a General Motors plant in the area that stopped production earlier this year. ‘He told everybody it’s all coming back,’ said Amato. ‘It’s not. It’s harder and harder to find a job.’”

Promise: “We need people that are going to turn deals around. We can’t let China take advantage of us anymore. And we have the piggy bank. We have the advantage.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Manheim PA, 10/1/16]

• Reality: Trump’s failed trade war with China has pummelled Midwestern manufacturing, destroying thousands of factory jobs in Pennsylvania last year.

• Reality: Pennsylvania farmers have been devastated by Trump’s trade war.