Pennsylvania official rebukes Donald Trump for saying capital city 'looked like a war zone'

An official with the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania said Donald Trump made "an unfortunate mistake" when the presidential candidate said the capital city "looked like a war zone" from the window of his airplane.

At a campaign rally Tuesday, Trump said the city of 49,673, which he had recently flown over in his private jet, "looked like a war zone where you (once had) these massive plants," according to The Associated Press.

A Harrisburg city official fired back Tuesday night:

"Mr. Trump has made an unfortunate mistake in disparaging Pennsylvania's capital city after a mere glance from the window of his airplane," Joyce Davis, the city's director of communications, said in a statement released Tuesday.

"Harrisburg is renowned as the heart of our commonwealth and a capital of unique beauty and charm. Mr. Trump should know that Harrisburg and its residents are an integral part of the United States, which he is vying to lead."

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has repeatedly insisted that he is going to win Pennsylvania, which is a crucial battleground state.

"I think we're going to win Pennsylvania easily," Trump said during a news conference in North Dakota after he clinched the GOP nomination in May.

Trump's war zone comment came amid a string of attacks within the last week targeting a Gold Star family, fire marshals, House Speaker Paul Ryan and a crying baby.