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By Alia Shoaib and Shane Croucher
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President Donald Trump appeared to dismiss concerns about the cost of living for Americans, calling such criticism a "con" by Democrats and touting his record on inflation.
Trump specifically cited what he said was the lower overall cost of Thanksgiving when compared with the tenure of his White House predecessor, Joe Biden.
"So I don't want to hear about the affordability, because right now we're much less," Trump told reporters on Thursday in the White House East Room.
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Why It Matters
Voter concern about inflation and the cost of living helped deliver Trump the presidency for a second time and, with it, Republican majorities in the U.S. House and Senate.
But lingering cost-of-living worries threaten to cause Trump problems in the 2026 midterms, an election that will shape the final two years of his presidency. Tuesday's elections, which saw broad Democratic wins amid the federal government shutdown, were an early warning sign to Trump and the Republicans.
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What To Know
Trump has been emphasizing his economic record as a key selling point, arguing that Americans are paying less for groceries, energy and gas under his administration.
His comments come amid ongoing debate over whether inflation and the cost of living have truly improved for households.
The president on Thursday claimed that his government has brought down inflation, which he said was now down to a “very low number” after having “the worst inflation in the history of our country.”
Inflation surged to a peak of 9.1 percent under Biden, but had fallen to 3 percent by the time Trump took office. It has since hovered near that level, fluctuating between 2 and 3 percent during his term, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Trump has repeatedly cited the price of a Walmart Thanksgiving dinner, which he said dropped by 25 percent, as evidence of improved affordability under his administration. However, a fact-checking report from The New Republic has noted that this year’s Walmart basket features fewer items than last year’s.
Trump also claimed that gasoline now costs close to $2 a gallon, while under Biden it was $4.50-$5.
Gas prices are now on average $3 a gallon, after peaking at around $5 a gallon in June 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration. Prices were about $3 per gallon when Trump took office in January 2025.
PolitiFact noted in September that the Trump administration’s record is overall mixed on bringing prices down. While the price of some energy and food items have gone down, other costs have gone up.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump complained that he isn’t receiving enough credit for his economic record, saying: "The press reports whatever the con people say — you know I call the Democrats con men and women. They make up numbers."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said: “The affordability is much better with the Republicans. The only problem is the Republicans don’t talk about it, and Republicans should start talking about it and use their heads because we have great numbers.”
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told the New York Times: “People aren’t dumb. They know prices aren’t going down.”
What Happens Next
This week’s Democratic wins, along with continuing concerns among voters about the cost of living, puts pressure on Republicans to make tangible progress on affordability ahead of the 2026 midterms.
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