{"id":2522566,"date":"2025-12-18T07:15:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-tries-to-turn-economy-back-on-dems-in-preview-of-2026-campaign\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T07:17:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:17:17","slug":"trump-tries-to-turn-economy-back-on-dems-in-preview-of-2026-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-tries-to-turn-economy-back-on-dems-in-preview-of-2026-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump tries to turn economy back on Dems in preview of 2026 campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-tries-to-turn-economy-back-on-dems-in-preview-of-2026-campaign%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2522566&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses President Donald Trump&#8217;s televised speech at the White house,where he framed the economic issues as failures of the Biden management while positioning himself and the Republican Party as the solution ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Trump criticized rising costs under President Joe biden, including inflation, gasoline, and grocery prices, claiming his administration is reversing these trends and improving affordability. He unveiled new proposals such as bonuses for military personnel and plans to replace Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Despite these efforts, polling shows many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/project-veritas-n-j-gov-murphy-plans-to-give-40m-to-illegal-immigrants\/\" title=\"Project Veritas: N.J. Gov. Murphy plans to give M to illegal immigrants\">voters remain skeptical<\/a>, with democrats currently favored on economic issues. Republicans narrowly control Congress and are relying on trump to help secure their majorities and block potential impeachment efforts. Simultaneously occurring, Democrats argue that Trump&#8217;s economic claims are outdated, as they continue to focus on affordability as a key campaign theme. The speech marked the begining of Trump&#8217;s attempt to defend his economic record and campaign to maintain political power for Republicans in the coming elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump tries to turn economy back on Democrats in preview of 2026 campaign<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2446633\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\"> Donald Trump<\/a> returned to themes of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\">2024 election<\/a> in his opening argument for next year&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-elections\/\">midterm elections<\/a> in a televised speech at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a> on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Good evening, America,&rdquo; Trump opened. &ldquo;Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3925377\/trump-troops-1776-bonus-checks-biden-coal-christmas-speech\/\">Trump sends troops $1,776 bonus checks, and Biden coal, in Christmas speech to nation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3924740\/watch-live-trump-delivers-prime-time-speech\/\">WATCH LIVE: Trump delivers prime-time speech to the nation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3924864\/trump-presidential-walk-of-fame-plaques-biden-obama\/\">Trump unveils disparaging &#8216;Presidential Walk of Fame&#8217; plaques under Biden and Obama portraits<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Trump assailed former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden<\/a> on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/inflation\/\">inflation<\/a>, crime, and the border while making the case that his administration had taken steps toward fixing, and in some cases completely solved, these problems.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Under the Biden administration, car prices rose 22% and, in many states, 30% or more. Gasoline rose 30% to 50%. Hotel rates rose 37%. Airfares rose 31%. Now, under our leadership, they are all coming down and coming down fast,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;Democrat politicians also sent the cost of groceries soaring, but we are solving that, too. The price of a Thanksgiving turkey was down 33% compared to the Biden [price] last year.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The risk for Trump is that voters, who still say prices are too high, might not find his economic assurances any more convincing than Biden&rsquo;s. The current president is underwater on the economy, once his strongest issue, by 13.5 points, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/issues\/economy\"><em>RealClearPolitics <\/em>polling average<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats, including socialist New York City Mayor-elect <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\">Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, won big in this year&rsquo;s elections by running on &ldquo;affordability.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump did have new arguments and proposals. He unveiled a bonus for military personnel and argued he had defied special interest groups on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-sanders-dems-cant-waste-time-catering-to-obstructionist-gop\/\" title=\"Sen. Sanders: Dems can\u2019t waste time catering to obstructionist GOP\">prescription drug prices<\/a>. He promised to name a new Federal Reserve chairman soon, having clashed repeatedly with the current one, Jerome Powell, over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/turkeys-lira-sinks-again-as-erdogan-cites-islamic-sharia-law-to-defend-economic-management\/\" title=\"Turkey\u2019s Lira Sinks Again as Erdogan Cites Islamic Sharia Law to Defend Economic Management\">high interest rates<\/a>. Powell&rsquo;s term is expiring next year.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump speaks during an address to the nation from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Washington. (Doug Mills\/The New York Times via AP, Pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The president also emphasized the Democratic provenance of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-transgender-case-may-weaken-suits-against-trump-orders-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Supreme Court transgender case may weaken suits against ... orders - Washington Examiner\">federal healthcare law<\/a> he zinged as the &ldquo;Unaffordable Care Act,&rdquo; which he blasted as a subsidy to greedy health insurance companies. He said Obamacare, as it is also known, was &ldquo;created to make insurance companies rich. It was bad healthcare at much too high a cost.&rdquo; Trump alluded to congressional Democrats&rsquo; role in the current premium increases, noting that certain tax credits are set to expire because they were passed in a party-line vote through the reconciliation process.<\/p>\n<p>However, Trump is now the incumbent president, and Republicans control both houses of Congress, albeit narrowly. Falling inflation doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean that prices will come down, and they certainly won&rsquo;t return to the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >pre-pandemic levels voters enjoyed<\/a> during Trump&rsquo;s first term in 2019. A recent poll by Echeolon Insights, a Republican firm, found that 74% would only accept a decline in prices as proof that inflation was finally under control.<\/p>\n<p>That same poll found respondents gave Democrats the edge on lowering costs overall by a margin of 47% to 43%, a major reversal from the 2024 election.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s team is hoping for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3897881\/who-to-blame-inflation-trump-vs-democrats-affordability\/\">an economic turnaround<\/a> as his policies, like the extension of the tax cuts, kick in, so voters won&rsquo;t have to rely on his words by Election Day. That&rsquo;s what happened under Ronald Reagan, but not soon enough for Republicans in the 1982 midterm elections. But by 1984, inflation had been brought to heel, and the economy was booming, helping Reagan win reelection in a 49-state landslide.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is already in his second, nonconsecutive term. It is congressional Republicans who are counting on Trump to help them retain their slender majorities in the Capitol and set the party up for success in 2028. If Republicans lose the House, Trump could be facing the specter of his third impeachment. A Democratic majority would also make it difficult for him to pass any further legislation, especially on domestic issues.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;President Trump was clear tonight: the Biden-Harris Administration created the greatest affordability crisis in our nation&rsquo;s history,&rdquo; Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), chairman of the House GOP&rsquo;s campaign arm, said in a statement shortly after Trump&rsquo;s speech. &ldquo;On Day One, President Trump and House Republicans took decisive action and are already delivering results. After years of Democrat failure, some Americans are still struggling, but Republicans hear you, and we are on a rescue mission.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When I hear the Democrats talk about the affordability crisis that they created, it&rsquo;s a little bit like, you know, Charles Manson criticizing violent crime,&rdquo; Vice President JD Vance <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3919506\/jd-vance-democrats-affordability-charles-manson-criticizing-violent-crime\/\">told<\/a> a crowd in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday, the day before the president&rsquo;s speech. &ldquo;Look in the mirror, my friend. You are the cause of the problem, and Donald J. Trump&rsquo;s administration is the solution to the problem that you created.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3918481\/trump-traveling-north-carolina-affordability-tour\/\"><strong>TRUMP TRAVELING TO KEY SENATE STATE FOR NEXT AFFORDABILITY ROAD STOP&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Democrats hope these arguments will seem backward-looking, much like Biden&rsquo;s frequent condemnations of &ldquo;my predecessor,&rdquo; who became his successor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Pocketbook issues doomed former Vice President Kamala Harris&rsquo;s 2024 presidential campaign and returned Trump to the White House. Wednesday night was the beginning of his campaign to keep recent history from repeating itself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump targets economy, blames Democrats in 2026 campaign kickoff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2522567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25352088250779.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[51080,3685,9168,5894,3634],"class_list":["post-2522566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-2026-campaign","tag-democrats","tag-economy","tag-politics","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25352088250779.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2522566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2522566"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2522566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2522570,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2522566\/revisions\/2522570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2522567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2522566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2522566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2522566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}