Trump attacks Democrats, vows to fix health care, roads

President Trump delivered a campaign-style speech in Cincinnati on Wednesday, attacking Democrats while promising to fix roads, bridges, dams, the steel and coal industries, health care and the tax code.

Standing along the Ohio River with coal barges behind him and workers in hard hats in front of him, Trump said his administration will launch an infrastructure program that will rebuild the nation and produce millions of jobs.

"It's time to recapture our legacy as a nation of builders," he said. "The future is going to be beautiful and the future is going to be bright."

Facing a firestorm back in Washington over Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Trump returned to familiar themes from his successful presidential campaign. He complained throughout his speech at Cincinnati's Rivertowne Marina about Obamacare, blamed Democrats for stalling his agenda and repeated his campaign promise to "make America great again."

Though Republicans control the House, Senate and White House, Trump said Democrats are responsible for the challenges some of his initiatives have faced, including the GOP health care bill now in the Senate.

"Total obstruction from Democrats," he said earlier in the day, after landing at Lunken Airport. "We have had no help."

He said the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is dying and can only be saved by Republicans. GOP Senators have said they will rework the House bill, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated will leave 23 million more people without health insurance, but they have struggled to reach agreement.

Critics of the GOP plan said the recent decision by some insurers to pull out of the Obamacare health care markets has more to do with uncertainty created by Republicans than with the markets themselves.

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Trump, though, made clear where he placed the blame. "Obamacare is in a total death spiral," he said. "The problems will only get worse if Congress doesn't act. Republicans are working very hard to get a great health care plan."

The theme of President Trump's trip to Cincinnati today was supposed to be his plan to shore up America's infrastructure, but his list of talking points got more crowded as the morning went on.

The president announced on Twitter this morning that he'd also meet with "ObamaCare victims" and would discuss health care. Later, White House officials indicated he'd talk jobs and energy, too, and would surround himself with coal miners and steel workers in hard hats.

A barge loaded with West Virginia coal was the backdrop for Trump's speech.

Trump did not directly discuss the furor over Russian meddling in the election or the related FBI investigation. He also didn't mention former FBI Director James Comey, who is set to testify Thursday to Congress.

Comey, who Trump fired last month, is expected to be questioned about whether Trump pressured him to curtail the investigation.

At one point, however, Trump did offer an aside during his speech apparently alluding to the controversy, saying "I take so much heat for nonsense."

Trump devoted most of his speech to renewing campaign promises to bring back industrial jobs, repeal and replace Obamacare and remove environmental and other government regulations that he believes stand in the way of businesses.

"We're going to have clean beautiful air, clean beautiful crystal water," Trump said. "But you're going to have your jobs, too."

He said his infrastructure plan also would help businesses and workers, though he didn't offer specifics about what he plans to do. Trump has spoken in broad strokes about infrastructure, but the White House has yet to propose legislation or to provide details about his plan and how he'd pay for it.

"Taxpayers deserve the best results," Trump said. "I will ensure that's what they get."

The visit was Trump's first to Cincinnati as president, and was his first stop in the Queen City since he kicked off his nationwide victory tour at U.S. Bank Arena on Dec. 1.

Wednesday's event was not open to the public, nor was it located anywhere near the locks and dams he touted in his remarks on infrastructure – the closest one of those being 30 miles up river in Clermont County.

Trump to speak at Rivertowne Marina on need to fix levees, dams and locks

Trump's visit comes as Comey prepares to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday about his conversations with the president before the Republican fired the top law enforcement administrator last month.

Trump lost Hamilton County in the November election, but the Republican dominated in every bordering county in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. His victory in Ohio played a key part in propelling Trump to the White House.

The president then wrested control of the state party from Gov. John Kasich in January, when Trump-backed Cincinnati native Jane Timken was voted Ohio Republican Party chair. 

Trump repeatedly talked glowingly about Cincinnati during his campaign, recalling that one of his first real estate ventures was in Bond Hill in the early 1960s.

Not everyone welcomed the president warmly. About 60 protesters gathered near the marina before Trump's arrival to complain about his approach to infrastructure, the science of climate change and the economy, and to criticize the Republican health care plan that's now in the Senate.

One carried a sign that read "Restructure the White House." Another's said, "Science is not an Alternative Fact."

Dana Branham contributed to this report