Former President Donald Trump embarked on a swing through the southwest, rallying supporters in Tucson, Arizona, and Las Vegas, while also hosting a press conference at his southern California golf course. With a focus on the economy, Trump addressed the soaring cost of living in Arizona and Nevada, particularly the skyrocketing housing prices that have burdened voters in those states amid the pandemic.

During Friday morning's press conference in Ranchos Palos Verdes, Trump criticized Vice President Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom, blaming them for what he characterized as the economic decline of the state. Expressing sadness, Trump lamented the state of California from his property, attributing its woes to the policies implemented by Harris and Newsom.

Trump's speech lasted nearly 40 minutes, with meandering remarks before he opened the floor to questions from journalists for about 30 minutes. In Arizona, a border state, he perpetuated false narratives about immigrant communities, mentioning Aurora, Colorado, and Springfield, Ohio, both in relation to his claims during the presidential debate. Trump's rally in Tucson saw him repeat debunked assertions about Haitian migrants, falsely labeling them as illegal and accusing them of abducting and consuming family pets.

Despite objections from officials in Colorado, Trump persisted in claiming that Venezuelan gangs were running rampant in the Denver suburb of Aurora. Furthermore, during his California press conference, he reaffirmed his campaign promise of mass deportation, singling out Ohio and Colorado as the starting points for this effort.

Calls from local officials in Springfield and Aurora for Trump to cease his inflammatory rhetoric in their communities were disregarded by both the former president and his campaign. When questioned about the potential danger his words could incite, Trump deflected, emphasizing the perceived threat at the border due to illegal migrants and ignoring the concerns raised by local communities.

Trump also attempted to fact-check his false assertions about a rise in violent crime, baselessly attributing it to an increase in migrant-related crime without providing any evidence. He went as far as accusing the FBI of falsifying crime statistics, a claim for which no substantiation was offered. The former president's perpetuation of unfounded claims and fearmongering tactics align with his campaign message of stoking fear about the immigrant community and his ongoing attacks on Vice President Harris over the Biden administration's border policies.

In conclusion, Trump's swing through the southwest focused on the economy, with housing costs taking center stage in Arizona and Nevada. However, his rhetoric furthered false narratives about immigrant communities, particularly Haitian migrants, and invoked fear of rampant crime falsely attributed to migrants. The former president's campaign message, revolving around immigration, resonates with his base while raising concerns among critics about the impact of his divisive rhetoric.