Donald Trump lambasted special interest groups during a rally in Ohio Tuesday night for lobbying for the continuation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership at the expense of American workers who he claimed have been brutally assaulted by the agreement.
“The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another disaster done and pushed by special interests who wanna rape our country — just a continuing rape of our country,” Trump told attendees at a rally in St. Clairsville, Ohio, Tuesday night. “This is done by wealthy people that wanna take advantage of us and that wanna sign another partnership.”
The presumptive Republican nominee reiterated criticisms of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton that he made during an economic speech in Monessen, Pa., earlier in the day. He cited Clinton’s praising the TPP as the “gold standard” of pacts in 2012.
The rally marked the first time Trump has returned to the Buckeye State since losing the primary in March. The visit comes a day after Clinton was joined by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at a campaign rally in Ohio.
Trump will return to the state next week for a pricey fundraiser. Tickets for the event and roundtable discussion will range from $2,700 to $25,000.
