President Donald Trump and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have grabbed a pair of golden shovels and moved piles of dirt under the hot June sun as part of a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Foxconn Technology Group project.
They stood in front of a massive American flag held aloft by a pair of construction cranes Thursday.
Trump and Walker were joined by Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, House Speaker Paul Ryan and the first Wisconsin Foxconn employee Christopher Murdock for the ceremony.
Miles away in downtown Mount Pleasant protesters, including Democrats hoping to unseat Walker this fall, gathered to disavow the project -- particularly its impact on the environment and the $4.5 billion in potential taxpayer subsidies to the Taiwan-based company.
But Walker and backers say the project will be transformational for the state's economy.
Ryan and Walker say the massive Foxconn Technology Group project will transform the state and make it a magnet for millennials.
Walker says "This will make us a brain gain state, not a brain drain state." He predicts it will transform the state like Microsoft did for Washington state.
