WATCH: Trump promotes economic agenda at rally in Georgia ahead of special election in March

ROME, Ga. (AP) — The White House insisted that President Donald Trump was visiting Georgia to boost the economy.

Watch Trump’s remarks in the video player above.

But in the opening minutes of his first stop at a local restaurant before touring a steel company, the president raised debunked claims of voter fraud, talked about his plan to require voters to show ID before casting ballots, and discussed the FBI’s recent raid on elections offices in the state’s most populous county.

Read more: 22 candidates are vying in Georgia to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress

“They came, they took all those votes, all those crooked votes were taken,” Trump said. “And the Democrats are fighting hard. They don’t want anyone to see those ballots. Let’s see what happens.”

Later, at Coosa Steel Corporation, the president accused Democrats of “cheating like dogs” in the 2020 election.

The White House has long said that Trump will focus more on the economy, and often complains that he does not get enough credit for it. But recent months have been dominated by other issues, including deadly clashes during deportation efforts in Minneapolis, potential military action in Iran, and his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Trump’s destination in Georgia suggests he has something else on his mind, too. He was appearing in a congressional district previously represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former supporter who resigned in January after falling out with Trump.

There is a special election to replace her on March 10.

After his early focus on the state’s voting system, Trump refocused his comments on the economy while touring a steel company whose owner said had benefited from the president’s tariffs.

The president, who has been particularly sharp at times during his public statements, also criticized the Supreme Court, which is examining the legality of his new use of the Emergency Powers Act to impose global tariffs.

“I’ve been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear that I have the right to do this as president,” Trump shouted. “The tariff is the greatest thing that has ever happened to this country,” he added.

Trump also claimed that inflation was no longer a problem in the United States, and blamed Democrats for rising costs: “They created the affordability problem. We solved it.”

Meanwhile, new research linked to a leading US bank showed on Thursday that tariffs paid by mid-sized US companies have tripled over the past year.

The additional taxes mean that companies that collectively employ 48 million people in the United States — the kinds of businesses Trump promised to revive — have had to find ways to absorb the new expenses, by passing them on to customers in the form of higher prices, hiring fewer workers, or accepting lower profits.

False claims of voter fraud

The Georgia visit comes less than a month after federal agents seized voting records and ballots from Fulton County, home to the state’s largest Democratic concentration.

Trump has long cast Georgia as a key component of his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen by Democrats and President Joe Biden, a slur he has repeated repeatedly this week, including during a White House reception for Black History Month.

Trump praised the FBI raid during his speech at the steel company.

Read more: NAACP asks judge for protection from ‘misuse’ after FBI seizes Fulton County voter data

“The FBI came and did a raid. They found a lot of your stuff, and now they have your ballots,” Trump said. “And the Democrats are fighting hard…and now they’re trying to stop anyone from looking. Do you know why? Because they cheated like dogs.”

Audits, state officials, the courts and Trump’s former attorney general have all rejected the idea that there were widespread problems that could have changed the election.

Some Republicans are now pushing for the Georgia State Board of Elections, which has a majority aligned with Trump, to take control of elections in Fulton County — a move enabled by a controversial state law passed in 2021.

Board member and conservative commentator Janelle King said she was aware of the calls for a takeover, but said Wednesday “it’s not something we’re looking to do without having all the information.” She said she expects to get a clearer picture once the FBI finishes its investigation.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said Trump is “exploring his options” when it comes to a potential executive order he raised eyebrows on social media over the weekend aimed at tackling voter fraud.

Trump called Democrats “horrible cheaters and deceivers” in the pinned post to the top of his social media account. He also said Republicans should show such claims “at the top of every speech.”

“The economy is a winning issue for us,” said Scott Johnson of Marietta, a longtime Georgia GOP leader who attended the president’s speech.

He’s not sure boosting allegations of election fraud from 2020 is a good idea.

“I’m not worried about reliving the past. I’m worried about moving forward into the future,” he said.

Greene did not calm down

Trump on Thursday did not address new attacks by Greene, who has been among the president’s most prominent allies in Congress and now one of his loudest conservative critics.

In a social media post before Trump’s visit, Green noted that the White House and Republican leaders met earlier in the week to put together an effective midterm message. She noted that they were “on the struggle bus” and blamed them for health insurance costs that had ballooned this year.

He watches: Marjorie Taylor Greene talks about President Trump as she prepares to leave Congress

“Nearly 75,000 families in my former district received double or more health insurance on January 1 of this year because the ACA tax credits expired and Republicans completely failed to fix our health insurance system destroyed by Obamacare,” she said. “And you can call me all the petty names you want. I don’t worship a man. I’m not in a cult.”

Early voting has already begun in the special election to choose Greene’s successor, and leading Republican candidates have fully embraced Trump.

Trump was traveling Thursday with his preferred candidate, Clay Fuller, a prosecutor who prosecutes crimes in four counties and described himself as a “MAGA warrior” before Trump took the stage.

Other candidates in the race include former Republican state Sen. Colton Moore, who made a name for himself with a vocal attack on Trump’s impeachment trial in Georgia. Moore, a favorite of many far-right activists, said he had been in contact with Trump even after Trump endorsed Fuller, describing the choice as “unfortunate.”

“I think he’s the greatest president we’ve ever had,” Moore said.

Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed.