One person familiar with the White House’s thinking on affordability, granted anonymity to discuss the matter candidly, said “it’s an issue and the only way to address it head on. Sooner the better.”

A second person close to the White House, also granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the stop in Pennsylvania is the first in a “tour” where Trump will discuss the economy. But the person acknowledged that discussions about affordability concerns may not come naturally to the president because “he truly believes what he says in that the economy is strong.”

The president’s speech on Tuesday is a way to test that messaging ahead of the midterm election, as the country steams toward the end of the year, when health care premiums are set to spike if Affordable Care Act subsidies are not extended — and amid a tariff agenda that some experts say is increasing the costs of certain commodities. Overall, prices rose 3 percent over the 12 months ending in September, according to the latest available Consumer Price Index data.

Affordability concerns were also at the center of successful Democratic campaigns in New Jersey and Virginia last month, two races that have led to growing concerns for Republicans ahead of the midterms.

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the center-right American Action Forum think tank, said “every president blames his predecessor” — but noted that the argument has a limited shelf life.

Holtz-Eakin suggested that tack only works for “about a year,” after which “you own it, you’re in the White House, good or bad, it happens on your watch. You own it, and they need to recognize that’s how the American people behave, no matter what they say.”

Indeed, Americans have already begun to blame Trump, with 46 percent saying the economy belongs to him now and his administration is responsible for the costs they struggle with, according to The POLITICO poll released last week. Thirty-seven percent of Trump voters say they think the cost of living is the worst they can remember.

The second person close to the White House called Trump’s affordability messaging “step one” and “only part of the fight.”

The person said they will continue to highlight advances made by the GOP megalaw, but that “there’s still a lot more work to do. You cannot sell a product that the people already feel is deficient. So it’s going to take altering the product as well.”

“I think he’s well within his capabilities to bring the economy the American people remember they had under his first administration, but he’ll have to have a dual hat here” — not only the “CEO of America” but also the “mayor of America,” who is “more … in touch with Main Street than Wall Street.”

Tuesday’s speech marks the latest of several attempts to focus on affordability and persuade voters that the problems they face stem from his predecessor.

Prior pivots include Trump’s speech at an annual gathering of McDonald’s restaurant franchise owners and executives last month. During those remarks, he blamed Biden for lingering high prices and said he was able to get to “normal inflation,” but that “we’re going to get it a little bit lower.”

The president on Monday again blamed Biden for prices, saying at a roundtable, “now, beef is starting to come down and some other things are starting to come down. Again, we inherited these problems but we’re getting them down.”

But the administration has at times delivered conflicting messages — for instance, saying tariffs are raking in record revenues that benefit the country, while also creating tariff carve-outs to bring down the soaring prices of some grocery staples, such as beef or coffee. And Trump told POLITICO that more carve-outs could be coming for other goods — though he added that “on some I’ll increase tariffs.”

On Monday, Trump announced a $12 billion aid package for farmers hurt by his tariffs and other economic challenges after months of the administration promising to provide relief for farmers negatively impacted by its trade policies.

Some Democrats responded by bashing Trump for having to fix a problem that he created.

“Trump abandoned America’s farmers and now wants credit for handing them a Band-Aid that won’t solve their problems,” the DNC War Room said in a memo.

Trump last week moved to ditch Biden-era fuel economy requirements as a way to help drive down automobile prices, though experts largely don’t think it will help car prices, at least any time soon.

Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill also have increasingly pointed to gas prices in recent weeks as a sign of an improving economy. The White House released a statement on Monday that the nationwide average for regular gas is at its lowest level in 1,681 days, citing GasBuddy on X.

It vowed to keep pushing to give Americans relief -- a shift in rhetoric from Trump’s claims that inflation is normal and Democrats are perpetuating a hoax.

“That’s all good news for American consumers – and much more progress is on the way. After four years of Biden’s reckless spending, open borders, and anti-energy policies that drove inflation through the roof and crushed working families, the momentum is now unmistakably in the right direction — and the Trump Administration will stop at nothing to make sure all Americans feel relief,” the White House said.

>>1463716
>Trump will again test ‘blame Democrats’ message on the economy — this time at a casino
>casino resort in Mount Pocono
Perhaps at the Trump Taj Mahal?
Oh yes, that's right. It's now the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, owned by the Seminole Nation in Florida. Gee, I wonder why?

>>1463716
Well obviously. We are seeing the result of 4 years of Biden. Also we won’t see how bigly Americas economy will get until right after Trump leaves office but if you vote Democrat any damage to said economy will entirely be their fault

>>1463798
Can't tell if being sarcastic or an unironic cultist. Good job.

>>1463716
ESL jeet shill

>>1463800
It's part of the concentrated gaslighting campaign that everything good is trump's job and everything bad, even if they're the direct result of trump's policies is biden's fault.

Dimwits - Trump will be at a casino. He can say whatever he wants - He’s at a casino.

Well, obviously we're seeing less than one year of Trump. It's entirely MAGAts' fault.

>Market Green? Trump economy, golden age
>Market Red? Sleepy Joe and Obama are plotting against me
It's all so tiresome. Dumbest pieces of shit to ever exist believe it too.

>>1463719
>Americans have already begun to blame Trump, with 46 percent saying the economy belongs to him now
I've always suspected that a bare minimum of 54% of Americans are mentally retarded

>>1463716
legit so bored of trump. this whole chapter can be over anytime, i need something new. this whole era has ended up being a nothingburger snoozefest.
bickering child

>>1463819
It shows the sheer amount of damage the Republican biased media has done.
Really need to just break up all their media empires and encourage locally owned media along with reinstating the equal time law.

>>1463829
Trying way too hard, ESL jeet shill

>>1463831
no you're not, esl shill. don't skip your duolingo classes

>>1463831
That’s not a jeet shill, a jeet shill is someone who says “DO NOT REDEEM SAAAR!!!” KEK

>>1463834
The jeets'll say what they're paid to say.

>>1463829
So, do you get a gift card or something every time you repeat this horseshit?
Not even Democrats believe this.

>>1463840
not even /news/ believes you're american

>>1463841
I just got a Real ID because my fake one expired.
Shut the fuck up! I'm talking to my phone.

>>1463840
>>1463831
>Election tourists are freaking out and projecting hard ITT.

>>1463818
It's funny how the MAGAt shill was arguing that the economy was great earlier today >>1463646 but then got undermined by this story where Trump is acknowledging the bad economy while saying it's the fault of Dems.

>>1463837
DO NOT REDEEM SAAR!!!>>1463840

>>1463846
That’s the best part. On minute he’s going on about how prices are down and it’s a golden age, then the next he’s railing on about how the economy sucks because of the dems. The old retard can’t even keep his own story straight.

>>1463849
Both are true.

>>1463850
In the sense that the economy’s doing great for the rich and dogshit for everyone else, maybe.

>>1463851
Well, all of us plebians have been nipping at table scraps for at least 50 years that I can identify.
It's likely been longer than that, or table scarps used to be bigger.
But, do you expect Democrats to make the economy better for everyone else at the expense of the rich?
If so, you're simply a moron.

>>1463853
That’s not what I said, moron, nor is it the point I’m making. Trump insists the economy is both good and bad at the same time, and he sure as fuck isn’t talking about it being K-shaped.

>>1463829
hey guys, i have an idea: what if it was illegal to knowingly report false or intentionally misleading news?

>>1463853
>Democrats aren't ideal, so we should vote for the republicans who will turn everyone into slaves for the rich.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AA8DjQzcw

>>1463858
They just call it an alternative interpretation of the facts now

>>1463858
You need to first remove the Republican supreme court because they declared knowingly spreading false information and lies is covered under the 1st amendment.

>>1463856
The point is that it's better than it was under the Biden admin, who savaged the economy.
Prices are going down on some food items.
Things are stabilizing.
Democrats will not save you. They will ensure you're poor and that some corporate entity is paid federal funds to feed and care for you.
That's the billionaire agenda.
That US healthcare.
That's illegal immigration.
Complain about Trump, but he didn't cause the problems. YOU did.

>>1463863
Who indoctrinated you?

>>1463863
>Things are stabilizing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n5E7feJHw0

>>1463859
Hmm. Which reality do you live in?
It must be the 90 IQ retarded-faggot reality of idiocy.

>>1463866
>ad hominem
Try again

>>1463863
Keep trying to change the subject from Trump being a lying, senial sack of shit, you projecting faggot. I’m not biting.

>>1463864
I've indoctrinated myself. thanks.
Unlike most Democraps who literally get mad when billionaires are told they can't indoctrinate them.

>>1463868
But I'm not. Both statements were true, as I've attested to.

>>1463867
Try what? Try to get you to forget about your paycheck and get you to play fair in a debate?
No thanks, tardo.
Not worth my time.

>>1463872
>Another ad hominem
>And projection
Doesn't change the fact that prices have skyrocketed because of trump and the quality of life is in the gutter specifically because of trump's policies.

>>1463873
But that statement is measurably untrue.

>>1463878
Why are you lying again?

>>1463885
>lying
Nope.

>>1463886
You just lied again. Economy is shit for real Americans because of trump, you can't lie and gaslight your way out of the facts.

>>1463889
Nah

>>1463893
He's right you know.

>>1463870
Trump is a billionaire and he's indoctrinated you.

>>1463895
Nah. He kind of sucks at it. Additionally he's a singular billionaire with little influence as billionaires go.
It's not like he owns all the media via investments like some firms.

>>1463899
>b-but he's not like the other billionaires
kek

>>1463917
True, the other billionaires are the leeches keeping you down.
That's why their media orgs are friendly to Dems who the billionaires donate to.
That's why every issue that will make the billionaires money is designed to tug at YOUR heart strings.
Why was the government shut down again? Oh yeah, insurance companies will lose billions and be forced to lower prices since they'll have to compete for real people's money instead of fed gibs.
Shame. And you probably believed it. And no you didn't believe it either. You just saw a means to achieve power.

>>1463921
You truly have been indoctrinated by the slimy real estate billionaire.

>>1463927
Interesting thought. And you've managed to escape the influence of billionaires, despite billionaires being either markedly more intelligent than you, or billionaires having enough money to pay people profoundly more intelligent than you.
Tell me again how intelligent you are.

>>1463946
Why don't you go back to the trillionaire's social media platform and complain about it instead of shitting up this board with your fallacies.

>>1463970
Is it really a fallacy? Just because you can't come to terms with how you've been entirely fooled doesn't mean it's a fallacy.
Denial is the first step in recovery for grief though.

As the rich favor New York's new mayor >>1462694, you tell me, cultists.

>>1463994
What?

>>1463999
What?

>>1463986
There is an alarming amount of projection in this post. I recommend self reflection.

>>1463716
>“I think he’s well within his capabilities to bring the economy the American people remember they had under his first administration, but he’ll have to have a dual hat here”
The economy wasn't good in his first term either. This constant headcanon about the economy has been going on for decades and it has got to stop. It's costing lives at this point, not just some dollar amount.

>persuade voters that the problems they face stem from his predecessor.
I don't care. I don't even consider Biden a president.

>more … in touch with Main Street than Wall Street
Nobody will ever think of Trump that way. He's gone to great lengths to solidify that with his bragging about capital gains over the years.

>normal inflation
Try deflation, faggot. Also known as affordability.

>car prices
Divide them by 10 or don't waste the time. Deregulating them isn't going to make them affordable and they cost as much as a house did not so very long ago.

>the momentum is now unmistakably in the right direction
He obviously is mistaken. Wealthy people have utterly lost the plot (surprising no one) and the fallout of this dead country is unmistakably a nightmare scenario, rife with genocide of it's original settlers and an audio loop of Marxist politicians reminding everybody how great things are going to be as the people wither in isolation and poverty. Tell me again how untalented I am while you've never worked a day in your life, including your one day at McDonalds that you spent taking pictures with actors who make more money than almost any actual worker.

Oh, and enjoy your stay at the casino, faggot. I can't think of a more insulting place to stage a pep talk about the American economy.

There is no (0) political solution left to pursue. What a stupid, desolate, and utterly unnecessary tragedy this entire economic zone has become.

>>1463999
I think he's trying to imply because the rich aren't fleeing new york like they threatened, this means the rich favor the democrats and not the republicans like the classically do.

>>1464011
Are you sure you're using that buzzword correctly?

>>1464011 is correctly making someone seethe by reducing them to claiming they're using 'buzzwords'

>>1464073
The rich don't have to favor either one, retard. The parties favor the rich, both of them. Get your reddit-tier astroturfing tf out of here.

>>1464100
>Projecting this hard while trying to desperately cover up what is a actually happening

>>1464133
Not really, fag.

>>1464182
Go back

>>1464252
>hurr gottem
>t. literal sea person meddling in American politics