LA CROSSE, Wisc. — Vice President Vance took to the road Thursday to tout President Trump’s agenda and in the process urged other cities to ask for the administration to step in and help with crime in places such as Chicago and Milwaukee.
Speaking at steel facility in La Crosse, Vance touted Trump’s D.C. weeks-long takeover of the city’s police department and other institutions, including Union Station, where Vance recently visited National Guard troops stationed there.
“We want you to be able to walk down a city street in broad daylight without getting mugged,” he told the crowd. “We want you to be able to take your family out for a nice meal wherever you want to without the fear of violence and criminals, whether they’re domestic criminals or international drug cartels.”
Vance said that effort could include cities Chicago and Milwaukee.
“We would love to come and help the people of Milwaukee, but the president of the United States has said he wants to be asked,” he said. “We would love to come in and lock up those violent criminals.”
Vance was on the road as part of the administration’s efforts to fan out across the country to sell the “big, beautiful, bill,” the key hallmark of Trump’s legislative agenda signed into law July 4.
He took the opportunity to call out Democrats for giving health care benefits to immigrants in the country illegally, attempting to combat the onslaught of Democratic attacks on the megabill during the congressional recess.
He called out the high school students in the crowd, telling them he wanted to give them advice as someone who has been married for 11 years.
“Find yourself somebody who loves you as much as national Democrats love giving health care benefits to illegal immigrants,” Vance said.
Vance mentioned other parts of the package, including no taxes on overtime, no taxes on tips and funding for law enforcement to crack down on drug cartels and deportation efforts.
And, the vice president touted other parts of Trump’s agenda, including his sweeping tariffs on trading partners that were imposed earlier this month.
“If you build crap overseas and try to undercut the wages of American workers, you’re going to pay a big fat tariff,” the vice president said.
The remarks were the fourth stop on a tour to sell the president’s signature bill, which Vance referred to as the “working families tax cut.” Last week, the vice president gave remarks at an industrial refrigeration manufacturing facility in Peachtree City, Ga.
Trump during a Cabinet meeting earlier this week suggested the bill be touted without using its name so that people would understand what was in it.
The vice president recorded an interview with Fox News’s Will Cain before his remarks and shouted out Cain, who was sitting in the front row of the event.
Members of Congress over August recess have also been working to pitch voters on the mammoth tax and spending bill. Republicans were able to get it to Trump’s desk before the July 4 recess, and Vance cast the tiebreaking vote for it to pass in the Senate on July 1.
The steel facility is in the district represented by Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R), who is considered a vulnerable Republican in 2026. Trump publicly endorsed him with a handful of other vulnerable House Republicans in April, and Cook Political Report ranks his race against challenger Rebecca Cooke (D) a toss-up.
Vance and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who was also at the steel facility, both highlighted Van Orden’s support in Congress and his vote for the “one big, beautiful bill.”
“Derrick is fighting every single day for the people of this district. You should be proud of him, because I certainly am,” Vance said.
Van Orden rallied the crowd before Vance took to the stage, talking with high school students. He walked around, shaking hands and taking selfies with attendees ahead of the speech.
The stage was flanked by big navy banners reading “American jobs” and “American steel.” Behind it was an American flag with a sign reading “the tough job team Mid-City steel.” Attendees sat in front and behind the podium, with dozens wearing “Make America Great Again” hats and Trump shirts.
