Former President Donald Trump‘s recent remark praising President William McKinley’s economic policies of the 1890s have sparked criticism on social media.
During a town hall event at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, on Friday, Trump lauded the tariff-heavy economic approach of the late 19th century, particularly under McKinley, a Republican. The visit was part of Trump’s 10th trip to the battleground state, highlighting the Great Lakes State’s importance in his electoral strategy.
“In the 1890s, our country was probably the wealthiest it ever was because it was a system of tariffs,” Trump, the GOP’s presidential nominee, said. “We had a president, you know McKinley? Remember Mount McKinley? He was a very good businessman, and he took in billions of dollars at the time. We were a very wealthy country at the time.” Mount McKinley, now officially known as Denali, was named after the 25th president.
Trump’s remarks came as part of a …