WATCH: President Trump visits Michigan

Growing up in Detroit, HUD Secretary Ben Carson saw firsthand what a special place the “Motor City” is. “It used to be the most prosperous city in the United States, if not the world. Largely due to their manufacturing capacity,” he says.

Today, Secretary Carson returned to his hometown with President Trump, where they took a close look at how the rebirth of American manufacturing is revitalizing the city—and helping all of America defeat the Coronavirus.

“Now in cooperation with this President and this Administration, Detroit is engaged in producing personal protective equipment, PPE, as well as things like ventilators at the automobile factories,” Secretary Carson said. “This Administration is doing everything it can to make sure we have PPE for everybody who needs it in this country.”

At Ford Motor Company’s Rawsonville plant today, President Trump saw firsthand how one company quickly repurposed its assets to support frontline medical workers.

President Trump: “America is very proud of Ford!”

Ford Motor’s story resembles that of many great companies across America. In March, Ford and General Electric announced a partnership to meet President Trump’s call to increase our national ventilator stockpile. As a result, the two firms are producing 50,000 of these critical machines in just 100 days.

Coronavirus isn’t the first time American manufacturing has stepped up during a time of need. During World War II, our nation’s factory floors became essential suppliers of military equipment. Ford’s Willow Run assembly plant in Michigan, for instance, famously helped lead the charge by producing a B-24 bomber every hour.

Once again, many American workers will go down as heroes during a global crisis.

To help mobilize this historic effort, President Trump recently rolled out a new plan to strengthen our strategic national stockpile. Working with Congress, he secured $16 billion to grow our reserve of critical supplies such as ventilators, masks, respirators, and pharmaceuticals—ensuring America is fully prepared to meet any future challenge.

While in Michigan, President Trump also participated in a listening session with African-American leaders. Earlier this week, he hosted a meeting of his White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, discussing how the Administration can continue to support distressed, underserved communities during the pandemic.

“Before the virus, African-American unemployment reached its lowest level in history, and African-American poverty reached its lowest level in history,” President Trump said today. Soon, our country will be rebuilding stronger than ever before.

“You’re going to see some incredible numbers,” the President said.

Our Transition to Greatness will lift up the African-American community once again

Press Sec: Better trade deals brought back American jobs and manufacturing!