Trump Making First Visit To Illinois Since Becoming President

GRANITE CITY, IL — President Donald Trump will make his way to southern Illinois on Thursday in his first visit to the state since becoming president. The Chicago Sun-Times reported the White House announced Sunday night the president will visit Granite City where he's expected to publicly support the reopening of U.S. Steel's Granite City mill.

The news report said Trump's upcoming visit comes during a week where the White House has been focused on highlighting "Made in America" products, including Lincolnshire-based Klein Tools, making a visit to the White House.

Back in March, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, and the administration has been highlighting U.S. Steel's Granite City mill as a success story when it comes to the trade war. Sun-Times reported U.S. Steel a therefore announced that it would restart steel-making and blast furnaces in its Granite City works.

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According to Sun-Times, Trump's visit could have an impact on the governor's race, as Democrat J.B. Pritzker’s campaign asked if Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner will be with Trump in Granite City, nearly two weeks after Rauner was with Vice President Mike Pence at a July 13 event in Rosemont where Pence talked about the U.S. Steel reopening in Granite City.

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