BALTIMORE — President Donald Trump said there should be a federal investigation of how Baltimore has been spending its money.
On Tuesday, the president transformed his Twitter attack on the city and on Congressman Elijah Cummings, who represents portions of the city, into a verbal attack.
While many in the city are standing up and defending Baltimore against the president's Twitter attacks, the president defends his Twitter comments by saying he's exposing the truth about the city's issues.
The president is speaking, no longer saving his attacks on Baltimore for online. He is speaking out and doubling down on his criticism of the city.
He didn’t mention anyone specific, but he seems to be calling out people such as past Mayors Catherine Pugh and Sheila Dixon.
President Trump said Baltimore has been mishandled for many years, and that it's a corrupt city. He also claims people in Baltimore appreciate what he's doing and thanking him for getting involved.
Over the weekend, Trump called Congressman Cummings a "bully" and Baltimore a "rat and rodent infested” city. This happened after Cummings ripped the administration for its treatment of immigrants at the Southern border.
Trump also suggested Cummings use his house committee to investigate where the billions of dollars given to the city from the federal government have gone.
"I’m pointing out the tremendous corruption taking place in Baltimore and other democratic run cities," said President Trump. "All you have to do is look at the past mayors in Baltimore and see what happened. Those people are living in hell in Baltimore."
During Tuesday’s community walk through East Baltimore, Mayor Jack Young discussed crime and trashed filled streets in the area. He also expressed the lack of support from the federal government.
"Don’t keep telling us that we’re not spending money wisely when they’re not giving us the resources we need for Baltimore," Young said.
One example the mayor pointed out is the plan to expand the Howard Street Tunnel expansion.
The federal government came up more than $100 million short of what the state asked to fund the project.
