NEW YORK — Donald Trump launched a broad rebuke of his presidential rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, accusing her of being "a world-class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. "She gets rich making you poor," Trump said.
Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult stretch, the presumptive Republican nominee cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans' economic interests.
"This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians," Trump said during an address at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood.
His remarks included erroneous statements and distortions about Clinton's record, and he frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer.
The speech marked an opening salvo against Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the real estate mogul faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there.
Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a "rigged system." He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Clinton's for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.