Trump Embraces His ‘A+++++’ Economy in Prime Time Holiday Address

Affordability was the topic of a prime time holiday address from President Donald Trump on Wednesday night — specifically, the incredible economy he claims to have rebuilt from the rubble of his predecessor’s administration.

The usually off-the-cuff president was notably on message in an 18-minute speech from the White House, building on remarks he made at a rally in Pennsylvania last week and an interview with Politico in which he graded the current economy as an “A+++++.”

Trump specifically mentioned turkey, eggs and gas as three staples that have seen price reductions since he took office, and claimed that overall inflation is on a downward trajectory.

“Everything else is falling rapidly, and it’s not done yet, but boy, are we making progress,” Trump said.

And this golden age of American consumerism extends beyond a few specific goods, Trump said.

“Over the past 11 months, we have brought more positive change to Washington than any administration in American history,” Trump said. “After 11 months, our border is secure, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down.”

Polls have found that Americans feel differently about the economy. A Fox News poll released Wednesday found that just 39% of Americans approved of Trump’s job managing the economy, while 58% believed he’s focusing on the wrong issues. Fox noted: “That’s about the same response voters gave former President Joe Biden four years ago, when 54% said he was prioritizing the wrong issues.”

Trump also made clear his position on the ongoing fight over whether to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies — a topic that has riven Congress in recent days.

Trump also repeated his desire to see money go directly to individuals to buy their own health insurance, a plan he promised his administration would roll out after the holidays.

“The money should go to the people, that’s you, so they can buy their own health insurance, which will give far better benefits at much lower cost,” Trump said.

Republicans have been split over the issue, with four GOP House members joining Democrats in forcing a vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies, which would prevent extreme premium price increases for millions of Americans.

Trump also announced payouts for nearly 1.5 million military service members — dubbed “warrior bonuses” — that he said would arrive before Christmas. Trump claimed the funds would come from tariff revenue and the bonuses would each be $1,776, in honor of the year of the nation’s founding.

The president additionally connected his aggressive immigration policy to his economic success, saying that prior to his election last year, immigrants in the country illegally were driving up housing prices and flooding a competitive job market. The most recent job data released by the administration was not promising, however, with unemployment reaching a four-year high in November, despite the U.S. adding 64,000 jobs.

The Federal Reserve has been concerned with the stagnant job sector, and last week cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point in an attempt to spur hiring and business investment — a move that Trump has long pushed for. The president also said during his speech that his pick to replace the Fed’s outgoing chair, Jerome Powell, is “someone who believes in lower interest rates by a lot.”

The Fed has been reluctant to slash rates too quickly, as inflation remains naggingly close to 3% — higher than the desired 2% the Fed aims for.