CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ President Donald Trump, speaking Friday at Central Piedmont Community College, claimed credit for an economic "renaissance" that he said has especially boosted African Americans and lower-income workers.
"The forgotten men and women of America are no longer forgotten because we are finally putting America first," Trump told an audience at CPCC's Halton Theater. "It took a long time, a long time."
Trump, who a day earlier had celebrated his acquittal by the Senate, didn't mention what he called the "impeachment hoax" until five minutes into his address. "It was a failed hoax, so they can put that on their resume," he said of his Democratic critics.
The president shared the podium with nearly a dozen Republican members of Congress. He acknowledged Sen. Thom Tillis, who voted no on acquittal, "as a great friend except for a couple of minor disagreements. Of course, I won't put up with it for long, Thom Tillis."
In a nearly hourlong speech that was equal parts campaign rally and policy address, Trump credited himself for creating "the most successful economy in the history of the country and (Democrats) want to take it away. It's not going to happen."
The half-day summit featured workshops on inmate reentry into society, economic development for low-income areas, infrastructure, and the future of historically black colleges and universities. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza also appeared.
Trump portrayed his administration as a champion of African Americans and other minority groups, pointing to rising employment and the 225,000 U.S. jobs that were created in January. He invited three speakers on stage to testify to the benefits they had experienced under his administration.
Black voters "have been with the Democrats for 100 years and they treat you badly, and they only come around before an election, and then they say 'bye-bye,' and they're gone," Trump said. "All these bad numbers, what the hell do you have to lose?"
Trump derided previous administrations for bad trade deals that gutted factories and shipped jobs overseas and for social policies that left high crime rates and cities in disrepair. He spoke of the "crushing burdens" his predecessors imposed on working-class Americans.
He said his administration had worked to increase funding for historically black universities, help former prisoners reenter society and reform the criminal justice system.
"We're one American family," he said. "We rise together, we fight together and we win together."
Ahead of his visit, the White House defended tax incentives for investors in blighted areas, known as "opportunity zones." Trump praised the zones during his State of the Union address Tuesday.
Seventeen Charlotte neighborhoods have qualified for the designation, which gives preferential tax treatment for investment in them. But community leaders say the opportunity zones could accelerate gentrification in areas that are already seeing new development and rising property values.
Ja'Ron Smith, a top adviser to Trump, said the zones are being unfairly maligned.
"Gentrification is not something that wasn't happening already. It was already happening way before opportunity zones legislation became the law," Smith told McClatchy this week. "The mass build up of urban areas has been happening all across the country, way before opportunity zones became the law."
Trump continued to focus on the strong economy en route to Charlotte, tweeting about a report Friday announcing that employers added 225,000 jobs in January.
"JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!" he wrote.
A small crowd of flag-waving Trump supporters and protesters gathered at CPCC ahead of the president's arrival.
"Trump is guilty! Trump is guilty!" one group chanted.
"Four more years! Four more years!" supporters responded.
"We want to show Trump that we still support him after that impeachment fiasco," Carrie Barker said, adding that she can't wait until he returns for the Republican National Convention in Charlotte in August.
CPCC student Savanna Shrader, 22, said Trump's visit hits especially close to home since she's from Charlotte.
"I want him to know he's not welcome here _ he never will be," she said.
The Charlotte event follows a tumultuous week in which the president delivered his annual State of the Union address, exulted over the Democrats' Iowa caucus implosion and was acquitted Wednesday on articles of impeachment on abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
At the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Trump insisted he had been attacked "by some very dishonest and corrupt people." Later in the day, he declared that his family "went through hell, unfairly," attacking by name the Democrats responsible for his impeachment and praising the Senate Republicans who voted to acquit him.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, did not attend Trump's visit and took Friday off as a personal day, a city spokesman said. Democratic City Council members told The Charlotte Observer they too won't be there.
"I just don't have any faith or confidence in this administration," said council member Malcom Graham. "And I don't want to be a part of a stage production."
