President Donald Trump is set to deliver a speech in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, marking the beginning of an intensified domestic campaign focused on promoting his economic policies ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, according to a White House official. The event in the battleground state underscores a strategic pivot toward addressing public concerns about inflation and the cost of living, following criticism that his administration has prioritized foreign affairs over domestic economic issues. n nTrump plans to highlight his administration’s efforts to combat inflation, which he attributes to the previous administration, and will outline new economic initiatives aimed at stabilizing prices and improving affordability for American households. n n”The president will be traveling to Pennsylvania to discuss how he and the Administration continue to focus on delivering on his Day 1 priority of ending Joe Biden’s inflation crisis,” the White House official stated in a message to ABC News. n nAdditional events are expected later this month and into the new year, signaling a sustained push to rally support for Republican candidates. Trump has faced scrutiny from within his own party, including from former ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has urged him to focus more on economic challenges facing everyday Americans. In response, Trump dismissed affordability concerns as a political talking point, calling it the “greatest con job” used by Democrats to mislead voters. n n”It’s a con job. I think affordability is the greatest con job. They look at you and they say, ‘affordability.’ They don’t say anything else,” Trump remarked in a recent interview, arguing that his economic record, including tariff-generated revenue, has strengthened the nation’s financial position. He also defended his international engagements, stating that diplomatic efforts with countries like China, Japan, and South Korea have significant economic implications for the U.S., involving trillions of dollars in trade and investment. n nDespite these claims, public opinion remains divided. A recent Gallup poll indicates that only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 62% disapprove. In response to electoral setbacks in states like New Jersey and Virginia, the administration has adjusted its approach, including reducing tariffs on certain food imports to ease grocery prices and exploring long-term mortgage options. n nWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Trump’s Pennsylvania speech will be “positive” and centered on economic achievements, urging fellow Republicans to more actively promote the administration’s successes. Chief of staff Susie Wiles added that Trump is fully committed to supporting GOP candidates, having already amassed substantial campaign funds and planning an aggressive outreach effort. n n”The president started raising money for the midterms the day after the election, and he’s sitting on a huge war chest to help these people,” Wiles said, expressing confidence in Trump’s unmatched work ethic and influence. n
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Trump to speak in Pennsylvania to start selling his economic agenda ahead of midterm elections
Amid criticism that he ‘s been focused heavily on foreign policy rather than an “America First” agenda, President Donald Trump will kick off what will be a year focused on domestic travel and touting his economic agenda with a speech in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday, a White House official confirmed to ABC News. n nTrump will push back against criticism of the economy and preview his upcoming economic plans. n n”The president will be traveling to Pennsylvania to discuss how he and the Administration continue to focus on delivering on his Day 1 priority of ending Joe Biden’s inflation crisis,” the White House official said in an email to ABC News. n nTrump may also hold another event similar to what is planned for Pennsylvania later this month and additional events are expected after New Year ‘s Day, the White House official said. n nTrump has faced pushback, including from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former top ally, for not doing more to address the high cost of living. In response, Trump has claimed that affordability is being used as a “buzzword” by Democrats ahead of next year ‘s midterm elections. Last week, Trump called the issue of affordability the “greatest con job.” n n”It ‘s a con job. I think affordability is the greatest con job. They look at you and they say, ‘affordability. ‘ They don ‘t say anything else. Everyone says, ‘Oh, their prices were so low. ‘ No, they had the worst inflation,” Trump said, referring to Democratic critiques of his economy. n nTrump defended his economic agenda in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday morning, touting the revenue his global tariffs have generated while saying he would consider more carve-outs for goods impacted by the levies that Americans find too expensive. n nTrump also pushed back on critics, including Greene, who said he ‘s been too focused on foreign affairs. n n”Most of my time is spent here. But when I do go outside, it’s only going outside for here. For instance, settling and solving the problem with China, that has a huge effect in the United States. Making deals with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, all of these countries, you’re talking about trillions and trillions of dollars. So I could … I guess I could say let’s not deal with anybody. We wouldn’t have much of a country,” Trump told Politico. n nAlthough Trump has extolled his economic plans, a recent Gallup poll found that only 36% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, while 62% disapprove and 2% have no opinion. n nAnd it ‘s clear that the Trump administration is feeling pressure to address concerns about the cost of living following November ‘s elections, which saw voters across New Jersey, Virginia and New York City push back against the president ‘s agenda. n nIn the weeks that followed, the Trump administration made shifts in its economic plans, including rolling back tariffs on some food imports in an attempt to lower grocery prices, and floating the idea of a 50-year mortgage. n nWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Tuesday morning that Trump is “going to give a positive, economic-focused speech” in Pennsylvania and called on Republicans to “be more vocal about touting the accomplishments of this administration.” n nWhite House chief of staff Susie Wiles said Trump will campaign for Republican candidates in the midterms “like it ‘s 2024 again.” n n”The president started raising money for the midterms the day after the election, and he ‘s sitting on a huge war chest to help these people. And he ‘ll use it, and he ‘ll use himself, and he ‘ll use his money that he ‘s raised, probably his money too, and, and, and nobody can outwork him, so there ‘s every reason to be confident, but we have to actually get it done,” Wiles said on “The Mom View” podcast on Monday.