Vance defends DC crackdown, urging Chicago, Milwaukee ask for help

LA CROSSE, WISC. — Vice President Vance took to the road on 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 like Chicago and Milwaukee.

Speaking at steel facility in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Vance touted Trump’s D.C. weekslong 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 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 on July 4.

He took the opportunity to call out Democrats for giving health care benefits to illegal immigrants to combat the onslaught of Democratic attacks on the “big, beautiful bill” 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 tfor 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 on a tour to sell the president’s signature “one big, beautiful 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 that the bill be touted without using its namesake so that people would understand what was in it.

The vice president tapped an interview with Fox News’s Will Cain before his remarks and called 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 Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s (R-Wisc.) district, who is considered a vulnerable Republican in 2026. Trump publicly endorsed him with a handful of other vulnerable House Republicans in April and the 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 called out Van Orden for his support in Congress and 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 came out, 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 "American jobs" and "American steel" banners and behind it was an American flag with a "the tough job team Mid-City steel" sign on it. Attendees are sitting in front and behind the podium, with dozens in "Make America Great Again" hats and Trump shirts.