Trump Claims Economic Win as Americans Struggle to Keep Up
President Donald Trump has told a campaign-style rally that consumer prices are falling "tremendously" as he sought to allay voter anxiety about the US cost of living.
President Donald Trump said at a campaign-style rally that consumer prices are falling "too much" and sought to allay voters' concerns about the cost of living in the US.
Speaking at a casino in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, the president told supporters that he has "no higher priority than making America affordable again."
But while gas and egg prices have fallen, other food items have become more expensive, and Americans are unhappy with the cost of housing, childcare, and healthcare.
Democrats have exploited Trump's weakness on the economy in recent off-cycle elections, leaving many Republicans worried about next year's midterm elections.
According to the White House, Tuesday's event in a swing district in Pennsylvania was the first of a series of campaign-like rallies aimed at getting his economic message across to voters.
But at one point in his speech, the Republican president again dismissed inflation concerns as a "hoax."
In recent weeks, his administration has lifted tariffs on dozens of food products and promoted lower fuel efficiency standards and Trump-branded retirement accounts for children as measures to reduce the cost of living.
In an excerpt from an interview with Politico released on Tuesday, Trump was asked what grade he would give the economy.
He said, "A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus."
In a sign that the policy changes are working, Trump's approval rating has risen three points to 41% in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
But many Americans still have a negative view of the economy.
Alana Hunt, 37,she lost her job as a designer at a construction company in Oklahoma City in April, in part due to Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum.
She said the construction sector "took a huge hit right from the start." Ms. Hunt says she has applied for at least 75 jobs, but none have been successful. She says rising grocery bills—about $25 more per week—have added to her stress.
Ms. Hunt, who voted for Kamala Harris, said, "In previous years, I was able to get by pretty easily. I don't feel like the federal government is listening at all."
Economic data paints a mixed picture.
U.S. consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since spring in November. But the stock market remains near record highs. And experts expect the economy to grow 1.9% this year, slower than last year's 2.8%, but still better than expected.
Some recent data also suggests the job market is improving after a sharp decline in hiring earlier this year.
As of September, inflation was 3%, the same rate as when the president took office in January, and consistently above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
This is still well below the peak of 9.1% during former President Joe Biden's term, when the US experienced its worst inflation in four decades.
Overall, prices have risen 25% over the past five years, leading to a massive recession despite wage increases during that period.
Beth Richardson, 45, from Kansas, said she was shocked by some of the prices at her local grocery store, remembering that she had recently purchased a pack of Mentos gum that cost about $5 with tax.
She said, "I thought, 'I'm going to die,' because this can't be happening."
Ms. Richardson was fired from her sales support job at a tech-related company at the end of 2023 after the firm moved jobs overseas. She voted for Kamala Harris last year.
She said that while she knows presidents are often blamed for economic forces over which they have little control, she felt that in this case, Trump and his policies, such as tariffs, were "shooting themselves in the foot."
On Tuesday night, Trump called tariffs his "favorite word," pointing to the hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue the US government receives from import taxes.
The White House consistently blames Biden and the Fed's interest rate cuts for the economic woes.
The US Central Bank has twice lowered rates to around 3.9% and may lower them again on Wednesday.
Many Trump supporters have said they still support the president despite facing difficulties themselves.
John Mohring, 60, a widower and construction worker from Kenosha, Wisconsin, has supported Trump since 2016.
He said grocery prices began rising even before Trump returned to the White House "and they don't seem to be coming down." Now he typically spends $100 on groceries for himself, even if he doesn't buy meat and chooses cheaper items.
Nevertheless, Mr. Mohring said he supported the Trump administration's heavy tariffs on imported goods and its border policies.
Mr. Mohring added, "I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt."
Brad Smith, a corn and soybean farmer in northwest Illinois, suffered losses earlier this year when China, which previously imported American soybeans,
Trump on Monday also announced a $12bn aid package for US farmers.
Mr Smith said he still believed in Trump's plans for the economy, despite being getting caught in the crossfire.
"There's probably bigger things at play other than just the soybean and corn market," Mr Smith said.
"The whole America First idea is good."
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