President Trump on Wednesday designated Wilmington, N.C., the first “World War II Heritage City” as he seeks to draw a contrast with Democrats and activists calling for the removal or renaming of historical monuments.
“With this designation we proudly declare that in America we don’t tear down the past, we celebrate our heroes, we cherish our heritage, we preserve our history and build our future,” he said.
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Trump spoke at the Battleship North Carolina, where he also marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, and gave the port city the honor — noting its efforts during the war in ship building and elsewhere. He praised a number of war veterans who were in the audience.
Wilmington has been home to the Battleship North Carolina since 1962. The ship was active in the Pacific theater during World War II and is now a floating museum. Congress passed a bill earlier this year that included a provision requiring the secretary of the interior to annually designate one city in the United States as an “American World War II Heritage City.”
President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One for a trip to Wilmington, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The designation comes as Trump has sought to paint himself as a protector of American heritage, in contrast to some activists and Democrats who have looked to remove monuments — mainly those associated with the Confederacy — across the country.
That push has accelerated to include other figures in American history. Monuments have been defaced or taken down by rioters in protests, while some politicians have supported the push to remove or rename monuments.
“American warriors did not defeat fascism and oppression overseas only to watch our freedoms be trampled by violent mobs here at home,” Trump said.
This week a working group tasked by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser identified dozens of schools, parks, monuments, statues and buildings named after historical figures that they believe represent an oppressive or racist history.
The list of historical figures they identified included former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson.
The list also included other key American figures like Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin and George Mason, inventor of the telephone Alexander Graham Bell and composer of the national anthem Francis Scott Key.
North Carolina is also a key electoral target. Trump won the state in 2016, but some polls have shown Trump behind Democratic rival Joe Biden, whose campaign hit Trump over his visit earlier in the day.
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“President Trump likes to call himself a wartime president, but the reality is that North Carolinians are still suffering because he surrendered to COVID-19 long ago,” Biden said in a statement. “He abandoned North Carolinians in their moment of need, and his failure of leadership has cost over 2,700 lives.”
Trump’s visit comes as county boards start sending absentee ballots to voters on Friday. Vice President Mike Pence will follow the president by visiting Raleigh on Thursday.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report.