Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's airplane landed in Grand Rapids, and the candidate's visit to the area included a stop to one of the city's largest ArtPrize gatherings.
In what was an unexpected visit Friday, Sept. 30, Trump and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani visited the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and WZZM 13 News Hub at ArtPrize. It is Trump's latest visit to the state -- one polls haven't shown him leading -- since visiting Flint about two weeks ago.
In a brief interview with WZZM 13's Jennifer Pascua, Donald Trump said, "We have a lot of respect for Gerald Ford, we always have. ... He was a very good person and a great human being -- a very good leader, and very loyal to this area.
"He loved this location."
In response to USA TODAY's claim that Trump is "unfit for the presidency," Trump responded by saying, "Well, I don't read USA TODAY. It's not much of a newspaper as far as I'm concerned. ... All I know is we're leading in the polls, we're doing well, we have the pulse of the nation."
A roundup of the latest national polls per RealClearPolitics shows Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton up about 3 points nationally and about 5 points over Trump in Michigan. The latest poll released Friday by the Detroit News has Clinton 7 points over Trump in the state.
Trump reached out specifically to the undecided voters of Michigan by saying, "Get out and vote. This is a movement, we're going to do very well, and we're going to take our country back."
Trump also took a moment to praise the crowd that had assembled at the museum, calling the crowd "tremendous."
Trump went on to visit the Kent County GOP on Lake Michigan Drive, where he spoke briefly around 2 p.m.
Trump is planning to make several undisclosed stops in Grand Rapids, eventually making his way to the Detroit metro for other events.