Trump blasts affordability ‘con job’ when pressed on economy
The article reports on President Donald Trump’s reaction when questioned about “affordability,” a key issue that contributed to recent Democratic election victories. Trump argued that prices, including food and energy, have dropped considerably sence January, citing Walmart’s announcement of a 25% reduction in the price of its Thanksgiving dinner package. Though, he was challenged by a reporter who noted that the package contained fewer items this year.Trump responded by calling the affordability debate a “con job” perpetrated by Democrats, whom he accused of misleading the public with false facts.
He also disputed claims that he avoids discussing affordability, asserting that prices were far lower during his governance compared to the Biden administration, which he said experienced the highest inflation in 48 years. Trump invited White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to reinforce his position, with Leavitt criticizing the media for ignoring the administration’s efforts on affordability.
Despite Trump’s strong rhetoric, his comments contrast with more measured statements from his deputy chief of staff, who acknowledged that economic improvements take time. The article highlights the political tension around economic issues as Republicans try to respond to recent election setbacks linked to voters’ concerns about the cost of living.
Trump blasts affordability ‘con job’ after being challenged on Walmart Thanksgiving basket
President Donald Trump lost his cool Friday when pressed on the topic of “affordability,” a top issue that helped fuel Democrats’ across-the-board election wins earlier this week.
Trump said earlier in the week that the main drivers of Republican losses were the government shutdown and the fact that he himself was not on the ballot.
Still, Trump repeatedly claimed during his bilateral meeting at the White House with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that prices, ranging from food to energy products, had plummeted since January.
The president specifically pointed to an announcement from Walmart earlier this week that the price of their Thanksgiving dinner package this year was down 25% from 2024. Trump brought the Walmart anecdote up again Friday, only to be challenged by a reporter who pointed out that the Thanksgiving deal being offered this year contains fewer items. Trump took issue with that rebuttal.
“They’re giving you prices, so that would mean that the whole series of pricing and costs, you know, the groceries and everything else, it was a con job,” he said. “It was a con job, affordability. They call — it was a con job by the Democrats. The Democrats are good at a few things, cheating on elections and conning people with facts that aren’t true.”
Furthermore, Trump took issue with the claim that he does not want to discuss the issue.
“When did I not want to talk about it? I talk about it all the time,” he continued. “We are much better than [former President Joe] Biden and all of them now, just so you understand. Do you remember that the Biden administration had the highest inflation in 48 years? The reason I don’t want to talk about affordability is because everybody knows that it’s far less expensive under Trump than it was under sleepy Joe Biden.”
Trump proceeded to ask White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was not in the room at the time, to take part in the dogpiling.
“Affordability is what the American people elected the president to do, and he is doing it, and you guys refuse to cover it,” she said after an aide pulled her back into the president’s meeting. “The previous administration created the worst unaffordability crisis in American history, and I’ve been watching the TV all day saying that he doesn’t want to talk about affordability. That’s what he’s working on every day.”
The president then added over the top, “That’s what I’m talking about right now. But you know why they refuse to cover it? Because they’re fake news.”
Trump’s comments strayed significantly from those of James Blair, the president’s deputy chief of staff, earlier this week. Blair told Politico in an interview that the president is “very keyed into what’s going on, and he recognizes, like anybody, that it takes time to do an economic turnaround.”
“Why did Zohran Mamdani do so well [Tuesday] night? He relentlessly focused on affordability,” Blair added.
TRUMP’S MINORITY COALITION FRACTURED THIS WEEK. HOW CAN REPUBLICANS SALVAGE IT?
“People talk about communists, they can say all these things, but the fact is he was talking about the cost of living.”
Trump’s comments can be seen in full below:
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