President Donald Trump greets supporters in Manchester, N.H., on August 15, 2019. (Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)

President Trump held a campaign rally Wednesday night in Michigan, a state that he won by 0.23 points in 2016. He took the opportunity to attack Michigan Democratic congresswoman Debbie Dingell for voting for impeachment and suggested that her late husband John Dingell, the former Michigan congressman, might be in hell.


“Debbie Dingell, that’s a real beauty,” Trump said. “I gave them the A-plus treatment.”

Trump said that following John Dingell’s death his wife Debbie called to thank him and said that she was sure her husband was “looking down” with happiness. “Maybe he’s looking up, I don’t know,” Trump said at last night’s rally.

Trump laments that Debbie Dingell voted to impeach him despite the fact that he allowed the normal state funeral to proceed for her late husband, former Rep. John Dingell. Trump then suggests John Dingell is in hell — to audible groans. pic.twitter.com/wsYfddNIA9 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2019

Debbie Dingell’s office provided the following response:

Mr. Dingell earned burial at Arlington through his service in the Army during WWII. His tributes were earned by being the longest serving member of Congress in history. He didn’t lie in the rotunda. Mrs. Dingell didn’t ask for it, and when many suggested it she declined. And that would have been a Congressional decision, not Presidential.

And the Michigan congresswoman wrote on Twitter: “Mr. President, let’s set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I’m preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.”