Former President Donald J. Trump made bold claims during a speech in Minnesota on Friday night, falsely stating that he had won the state twice and asserting that it was in play for him in the 2024 election. Speaking at a fund-raiser for the state’s Republican Party in St. Paul, Mr. Trump said, “I thought we won it in 2016. I know we won it in 2020.”
Despite the fact that the last time a Republican presidential candidate won Minnesota was in 1972, Mr. Trump, who is seeking to avenge his loss to Joseph R. Biden Jr., announced that his campaign would be adding the state to its electoral map expansion.
During his nearly 90-minute appearance at the party’s annual Lincoln Reagan dinner, Mr. Trump emphasized his stance on law and order, claiming credit for quelling riots in the state following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers in 2020. He even went as far as to say, “I saved your city. If you didn’t have me as president, you wouldn’t have Minneapolis today.”
The former president’s speech in Minnesota was just one stop in his recent campaign activities, which included a rally in New Jersey and plans for an event in the Bronx. Despite facing a criminal trial in New York, Mr. Trump continues to make public appearances and engage with his supporters as he gears up for the 2024 election.