Trump revives controversial 1988 Willie Horton campaign ad
President Donald Trump is using a controversial campaign ad from 1988 to criticize Democrats on crime. During a Wednesday rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, Trump referenced the Willie Horton ad, which targeted then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Trump compared it to a recent case involving a Black man accused of murder in North Carolina. He claims Democrats, like U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper, are soft on crime.
Trump argues North Carolina has become more dangerous under Democratic leadership. Critics say Trump is using racial division to rally his base and distract from issues like inflation.
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ApnewsSource headline and summary supplied via NewsData.io. First collected by NewsJaws on 2026-09-18. This is an automated news brief, not original NewsJaws reporting. Dates reflect the source publication. Feed delays may apply.