President Donald Trump responded to an unhappy MAGA supporter who begged him to “please do something” about rising living costs by making a rambling claim that they were, in fact, “way down.”
The president said prices were “already down” but the biggest problem was that other Republicans were not talking about how affordable things are.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier Wednesday, Trump addressed the decisive GOP election losses the night before and claimed his party should have better addressed the topic of affordability.
He was then read a statement by Baier from North Carolina retiree Regina Foley, who had voted for him three times previously, but was “not happy” with the current economic climate.
“I want the Republicans to keep control of Congress in 2026 but something has to be done fast!” the statement from Foley read. “I don’t see the best economy now – Wall Street numbers do not reflect Main Street money, please do something, President Trump.”
In a meandering answer, the president replied: “Beef we have to get down. I think of groceries, it’s an old-fashioned word but it’s a beautiful word. Beef we have to get down but we’ve got prices way down.”
He continued: “Think of this, [Foley] drives a car, probably, and her energy prices are way down and energy is so all-encompassing it’s so big that when energy comes down everything comes down, everything follows it and I have energy down to five-six-year lows now.
“I think they are coming down, but they are down already. I think the biggest problem is Republicans don't talk about it. They don't talk about the word affordability and the Democrats lie about it.”
Affordability has been a main focal point of newly-elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign including the cost of living and rent for city residents.
In addition, contrary to the president’s claims, a survey found last month that three-quarters of Americans reported their household expenses have increased in the last year.
About 74 percent of Americans say their regular monthly household costs increased by at least $100 in the last year, according to the October Harris poll published by The Guardian. Some Americans even said they’re paying between $500 and $749 more each month.
The rising costs were reported by Democrats, Republicans and independents alike. About 54 percent of Americans surveyed also said they believe the economy is now in a recession.
Back then, Trump also declared that prices are down and inflation was over, claiming that “groceries are down and energy is down, electricity is way down.”
But, Daniel Dale, a senior reporter and fact-checker for CNN, later addressed the comments on social media, noting that grocery prices were actually up and rising at “the fastest month-to-month rate in three years.”
Electricity prices are also up, he wrote, and were 6.2 percent higher in August compared to last year.
In a poll over the weekend, six in 10 voters told ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos pollsters that Trump’s management of inflation and tariffs were doing more harm than good to the American economy.
