President Trump is set to deliver a nationally televised speech tonight as his public approval rating falls below 40 percent, with growing numbers of Americans expressing concern over the state of the economy. Despite recently dismissing Democratic emphasis on affordability as overblown, the opposition party’s focus on household financial pressures is widely seen as a key reason for their success in recent off-year elections in November. In response, the president has taken steps to reframe the economic conversation, traveling to various states to promote his administration’s economic record. Last week, speaking to supporters in Pennsylvania, he highlighted anticipated tax refunds in April as a benefit of his policies and introduced so-called “Trump accounts” for children born between 2025 and 2028.
However, his characterization of the economy as “A+++++” during a recent interview with Politico drew criticism, including from some within his own political circle, who viewed the assessment as disconnected from public sentiment. Wednesday’s address offers the president a platform to reclaim the narrative on economic performance, although White House officials note the speech will cover multiple topics.
“He’ll be addressing the country about all of his historic accomplishments over the past year and maybe teasing some policy that will be coming in the new year, as we head into this Christmas season,” Karoline Leavitt, White House spokeswoman, said Tuesday on Fox News. She specifically mentioned border security and lower fuel prices as likely focal points.
The speech comes as public confidence in Trump’s economic leadership reaches a new low, according to the latest NPR PBS News Marist Poll. The survey found that 45 percent of Americans identify rising prices as their top economic worry, significantly surpassing housing costs, which ranked second at 18 percent. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently attributed inflationary pressures to the president’s unilateral tariff policies, stating that price increases are concentrated in goods rather than services and are largely confined to sectors affected by import duties.
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Trump to address the nation as his popularity dips in the face of economic concerns
President Trump will deliver a primetime address tonight as his approval rating sits below 40 percent and Americans feel increasingly bleak about the economy. n nThough he ‘s recently mocked Democrats ‘ focus on affordability, their focus on pocketbook issues is seen as why they swept key off-year elections in November. And the president has tried to address the issue, recently hitting the road to make his economic case. He pitched supporters in Pennsylvania last week by promising bigger tax returns in April thanks to his policies, as well as promoting “Trump accounts” for children born between 2025-2028. n nBut his labeling of the economy as “A+++++” in a recent Politico interview was knocked by even some conservatives as tone-deaf, however. n nWednesday ‘s address will provide the president another opportunity to regain the economic narrative, though the White House says the speech will cover an array of issues. n n”He ‘ll be addressing the country about all of his historic accomplishments over the past year and maybe teasing some policy that will be coming in the new year, as we head into this Christmas season,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Tuesday. n nLeavitt specifically cited border security and lower gas prices as two likely focuses of Trump ‘s address. n nThe address comes as approval of Trump ‘s handling of the economy has hit a new low, according to the latest NPR PBS News Marist Poll. Fully 45% of Americans said prices are their top economic concern right now, far ahead of the next-highest category – housing prices – at 18%. n nThe various tariffs President Trump has unilaterally imposed are driving prices higher, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell reported last week. He told reporters that inflation growth is happening entirely in goods (as opposed to services), and that the growth is “entirely in sectors where there are tariffs.”