President Donald Trump Causes Major Interstate Backups During Cincinnati Tour of Thermo Fisher, Pushes Reshoring

President Donald Trump visited the Greater Cincinnati area on March 11, arriving at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport just before 2 p.m. and making two local stops: Thermo Fisher Scientific in Reading and Verst Logistics in Hebron, Kentucky.

“Donald Trump made hisfirst visitto Greater Cincinnati since the start of his second presidential term, with two local stops on March 11”

USA TODAY

USA TODAY reported that this was Trump’s first visit to Greater Cincinnati since the start of his second presidential term and noted the timing of his arrival at 1:53 p.m. and departure from CVG at 6:35 p.m.

WCPO 9 News

WCPO 9 News said he landed at CVG just before 2 p.m. and went to Reading to discuss TrumpRx and reshoring pharmaceutical manufacturing, while WKRC described the stop at Thermo Fisher as part of a visit touting efforts to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States.

The presidential motorcade and security measures produced major traffic disruptions across the region, with interstate closures and long backups reported during the afternoon and evening.

WCPO 9 News said the visit “caused some major backup on local interstates and roads” and that “portions of I-75 will be closed throughout the day,” adding that smaller local roads were blocked off as the motorcade moved.

WKRC

USA TODAY described snarled traffic that “drew national attention” and said state maps showed long backups on Interstate 71 and Interstate 275 while some smaller backups remained around CVG; WKRC also framed the trip as one that affected the Cincinnati area during the day.

A central focus of the visit was Trump’s TrumpRx and reshoring message: he used the Thermo Fisher stop to promote bringing pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States and to claim large prescription drug price reductions.

“EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump speaks 1-on-1 with Local 12 during Cincinnati visit READING, Ohio (WKRC) - President Donald Trump visited the Cincinnati area Wednesday, touring Thermo Fisher Scientific and touting efforts to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States while defending his record on energy, national security and drug prices”

WKRC

WCPO 9 News summarized that at Thermo Fisher the president “touted efforts to lower medicine costs and reshore pharmaceutical manufacturing” and described TrumpRx as meant to “reduce the price of prescription drugs to match international rates,” noting the president’s claim that his work took drug prices down “in many cases” by 80%.

WKRC similarly said he toured Thermo Fisher while “touting efforts to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States” and quoted Trump saying some medicines have been reduced “by 70, 80, 90 percent,” while USA TODAY also noted he discussed his Trump Rx plan to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

The local events mixed policy messaging with political theater, drawing both supporters and opponents and featuring known personalities and local lawmakers.

USA TODAY said the day “brought out both supporters and opponents” and noted Nick Sandmann’s onstage cameo;

WKRC

WCPO 9 News reported that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president “will be joined by lawmakers from both states” and that Dr. Mehmet Oz “said he will be joining Trump,” while WKRC characterized the Hebron stop as carrying political overtones with Trump saying, “We have to win the midterms.”

By evening, officials reported some clearing but local disruption persisted; the president returned to the White House after a roughly five-hour local visit that included a long speech in Hebron.

“CINCINNATI — President Donald Trump's visit to the Tri-State caused some major backup on local interstates and roads”

WCPO 9 News

USA TODAY reported that Air Force One departed CVG at 6:35 p.m., ending the March 11 visit, and noted that by 4 p.m. many interstate backups were mostly cleared though smaller backups remained near the airport.

WCPO 9 News

WCPO 9 News documented continuing local road closures tied to the motorcade, and WKRC described the Northern Kentucky appearance as a roughly 70-minute, campaign-style speech during which Trump repeatedly defended his record.