MACUNGIE, Pa. (AP) 鈥� President visited a Mack Trucks facility in battleground Pennsylvania on Tuesday, attempting to shift attention to the U.S. economy in his first major public event outside the nation’s capital since .
The trip to Macungie, in the Allentown suburbs, came as Trump works to put the conflict 鈥� and the higher gasoline prices it caused 鈥� in the rearview mirror as the draw closer.
Trump had a private tour of the facility, but his speech often felt more like a reelection rally from two years ago than an effort to promote his second-term accomplishments.
The president listed longstanding political grievances, and made only passing mentions of promoting Republicans ahead of Election Day 鈥� while spending more time bragging about the in honor of his own 80th birthday than he did the economy.
At one point, Trump even called UFC fighters Bo Nickal and Anthony Cassar to the stage and mused about whether he could beat either one of them in a wrestling match if he were to 鈥渨ork out for the next couple of months.鈥�
It was Trump’s fifth second-term visit to Pennsylvania, a state whose support in 2016 and 2024 helped him to win the White House. The truck factory is in a district where incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie faces Democratic challenger Bob Brooks in November.
鈥淔or more than 100 years, this legendary company has been making trucks right here in eastern Pennsylvania,” Trump said, 鈥渂uilding the heavy duty machinery that keeps our economy rolling, our factories moving, and our industries roaring all across the nation.鈥�
His visit coincided with that could color the verdict voters render on Trump’s stewardship in the fall. About one-third of U.S. adults approved of Trump鈥檚 approach to the economy, according to a June poll. That鈥檚 in line with last month for Trump on the issue.
The , which began Feb. 28, has also been a politically difficult issue for the president. Most Americans continued to disapprove of his , which was being fielded as Trump announced a tentative deal with Iran and concluded just before the interim agreement was signed last week. It found that 65% of U.S. adults disapprove of how the president is handling issues with Iran, unchanged from May.
Still, while most Democrats and independents view Trump鈥檚 actions negatively, only about 3 in 10 Republicans are unhappy.
This is the kind of district that matters in November elections
Trump addressed a cheering crowd from a stage erected on the factory floor, flanked by two red, white and blue trucks and rows of workers in fluorescent safety vests under a large 鈥淎merican Workers First鈥� banner.
It’s the kind of district that may prove pivotal to Republicans holding narrow control of the House, where a loss could hobble the president’s final two years in office.
Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker, is looking to hold on to a district Democrats have targeted to flip. Brooks, president of the state firefighters’ union, has support from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who’s also seeking reelection this year.
Trump urged the crowd to support Mackenzie, saying of his trip, 鈥淚鈥檓 not doing this for my health.鈥� But he devoted more energy to issues like the U.S.-Mexico border, opposing transgender rights and decrying 鈥淢arxist鈥� judges, while also referencing his administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug prices.
鈥淲e gotta win the midterms,鈥� Trump said, in one of the few references he made to the midterms. Later, however, he suggested it wasn鈥檛 actually a 鈥減olitical season,鈥� perhaps because he himself won鈥檛 be on the ballot in November.
On Iran, Trump suggested that the country would be smart and keep negotiating during the ceasefire. 鈥淥therwise we鈥檒l have to finish the job, which will take about, maybe less than a week,” he said.
An odd moment came when the president offered, 鈥淭he ideology of the Muslims is slightly different than the ideology of the Catholics. We have the Catholics and the Muslims slightly different.” He didn’t elaborate.
Biden came to the same plant previously
Trump’s predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, the same Mack Trucks facility in 2021 to highlight regulations aimed at promoting manufacturing jobs. Manufacturing employment peaked in 1979 at nearly 19.6 million jobs. It trended downward after the 2001 recession and the 2007-09 Great Recession. The figure now stands at 12.6 million as of May, according to the .
In 2025, the truck facility got hit by market uncertainty, including sweeping tariffs that Trump’s administration imposed, and about 170 people were laid off, according to Mack spokesperson Kimberly Pupillo. She added that by the end of last year, almost 150 people were recalled to work and anyone laid off last year was given the chance to return.
There are about 2,800 workers at Mack, Pupillo said.
At a pizzeria down the road from the truck facility, workers and diners said they’d heard about the president鈥檚 visit and recalled Biden鈥檚 trip to the plant.
George Carver, a retired elementary school principal, said he wasn鈥檛 a fan of Trump鈥檚: 鈥淚鈥檓 looking for a president who鈥檒l clean up this mess,鈥� he said, meaning improve the economy and better handle the war in Iran and immigration.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking for someone who鈥檚 gonna tell the truth 鈥� that could be a Democrat or Republican,鈥� Carver said.
Trump’s visit underscores Pennsylvania’s status as a crucial swing state.
Trump made a trip to Mount Pocono in December messages that he’s addressing affordability; in July 2025, he was in Pittsburgh tens of billions of dollars of recent energy and technology investments in the state; in June 2025, he was in West Mifflin steelworkers he was doubling the tariff on steel imports to protect the industry; and in March 2025 he the NCAA wrestling championship in Philadelphia.
Denise Green, a retired software trainer, was among a handful of people protesting the visit outside a McDonald鈥檚 across the street from the plant.
Green said she was a former Republican who became a Democrat in 2007 because her original party backed policies where 鈥渁ll the money” was going to the rich.
Green said her key issue was Social Security funding, which she said she鈥檒l need but is worried could run out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 outrageous,鈥� she said.
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