During a campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Donald Trump offered sharply contrasting views of the state within a span of minutes. Initially, Trump expressed strong affection for North Carolina, telling the audience, "Well, hello, North Carolina, Special place. This is a special place. I love it. I love it." He further stated he was "thrilled to be back in this incredible and beautiful state with thousands of proud, hardworking American patriots."
However, Trump's tone dramatically shifted as he began to criticize the state. He contrasted his past perception of North Carolina as a safe and idyllic place with his current view. "So, nobody used to think of North Carolina as a dangerous state, criminally dangerous. It was like, North Carolina, it was beautiful. It was apple pie, right?" he said. He then asserted, "And now it’s one of the most violent and one of the worst in the whole nation," a characterization not supported by available FBI crime data.
Trump attributed this perceived increase in crime to Democratic politicians, specifically targeting Roy Cooper, who served as North Carolina's governor from 2017 to 2025. "And it all started with Cooper. And you have a lousy governor right now too, but it started with Cooper," Trump stated, also criticizing Cooper's successor.
The rally was held to support Michael Whatley, who is running for the Senate. Whatley has held positions including former Republican National Committee co-chair and former chair of the North Carolina GOP.