Vance, Trump unleash on Democrats’ affordability ‘scam’: ‘Fixing what [they’ve] broken’
In a recent Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance took aim at Democrats, asserting that they are working to remedy the economic challenges left by former President Joe Biden’s administration. Trump criticized the Democrats’ use of the term “affordability,” labeling it a “scam” and a “con job,” claiming that it misleads the public into believing prices are lower when, in fact, the country has been grappling with significant inflation. He asserted that his administration has made strides in halting inflation but acknowledged that there is still work to be done to further improve the economic landscape without risking deflation. This rhetoric aligns with Trump’s recent self-identification as the “affordability president,” a title he may be leveraging to reclaim the narrative surrounding economic issues.
Vice President Vance echoed Trump’s sentiments, highlighting the economic challenges faced by American families under the Biden administration, which he claimed resulted in a loss of over $3,000 in household income. In contrast, he noted that families gained over $1,000 in income during Trump’s presidency. Vance projected optimism for the economy, predicting that 2026 would be a pivotal year for economic growth. This exchange comes at a time when leading Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have intensified their focus on affordability as a key issue, particularly following recent electoral victories in which affordability played a central role in campaign strategies. Jeffries criticized Republicans for failing to address the rising cost of living, while Schumer countered Trump’s claims, arguing that the public is frustrated with high costs and in need of support, not further burdens.
The emphasis on affordability has become a defining theme for both parties as they navigate the current economic climate, with Democrats successfully framing their recent electoral victories around this issue. Candidates like New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill and Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger campaigned on platforms specifically addressing affordability in healthcare, housing, and energy costs, reflecting a broader Democratic strategy to resonate with voters’ concerns about their financial well-being. New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani also highlighted affordability in his campaign, indicating a willingness to collaborate with the Trump administration to address economic challenges. As both parties gear up for the next electoral cycle, the battle over the narrative surrounding affordability and economic management is set to intensify, with each side seeking to claim the mantle of the true advocate for the American family.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRNcqnWTfdM
President
Donald Trump
and Vice President JD Vance hit Democrats during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, saying that the current administration is working to fix the mess left by former President Joe Biden.
“The word ‘affordability’ is a Democrat scam. They say it, and then they go into the next subject and everyone thinks they had lower prices. No, they had the worst inflation in the history of our country,” Trump said during his opening remarks at the meeting. He also said affordability was a “con job by the Democrats.”
The president boasted that since he took office, his administration has “stopped inflation in its tracks,” but said their work is not over. He said that while inflation is at “a very good level” now, he would like to see it drop even further without putting the country at risk of seeing deflation.
DOUBLING DOWN: TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT SAYS FOCUS ON HIGH PRICES ‘ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE’
On Saturday, when boasting on Truth Social about lowering drug prices, Trump declared himself to be the ”
affordability president
,” possibly signaling his administration’s focus on reclaiming the term.
Vance, who spoke later in Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, touted
the administration
‘s work on the economy and predicted that “2026 is going to be the year when this economy really takes off.”
“I think for congressional Democrats in particular, if they want to talk about affordability, they ought to look in the mirror. We are fixing what [they’ve] broken,” Vance said.
The vice president also pointed out that under the Biden administration, the American family lost over $3,000 of household income, while they gained over $1,000 of household income under Trump.
TRUMP FLIPS DEMS’ ‘AFFORDABILITY’ SCRIPT, TURNING BUZZWORD INTO MAGA MATERIAL AS MAMDANI VISIT LOOMS
Several leading Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer
, D-N.Y., have increasingly centered their message on affordability in recent months, even pointing to the issue as a decisive factor in last month’s Democratic victories across the country.
“Republicans have failed the American people on the economy. The cost of living in the United States of America is completely and totally out of control,”
Jeffries said
during a news conference last month. “Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living on day one. Costs have not gone down, they’ve gone up.”
Jeffries’ remarks came one day after Schumer made similar comments about what
Senate Democrats
called the “Republican Affordability Crisis.” He said that affordability was “the most important issue keeping Americans up at night” and that Trump and Republicans made it worse.
“Donald Trump may think affordability is some kind of Democratic ‘con job,’ as he recently called it, but the opposite is true. Americans are fed up with high costs, and they need a lifeline, while Donald Trump is tossing them an anchor,”
Schumer said
.
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In November, the Democrats saw a string of major victories, including New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and New York City Mayor-elect
Zohran Mamdani
. All three candidates focused on affordability in their campaigns. After Sherrill and Spanberger’s victories, the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) said that they ”
ran and won on the economy
.”
“With cost-of-living concerns top-of-mind for Americans nationwide, Sherrill and Spanberger were laser-focused on affordability, releasing their Affordability Agenda and Affordable Virginia Plan, respectively, as they ran on platforms centered around bringing down the costs of health care, housing, and energy costs,” the DGA statement read.
Mamdani’s campaign was focused on affordability in the city.
After his meeting with Trump, Mamdani said he would work with the administration — not against it — to make life more affordable for New Yorkers, citing his and the president’s mutual love of the city.
