Trump calls affordability a ‘Democrat scam’ as inflation concerns grow: 'Worst in the history'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump harshly criticized Democrats' record on inflation during a Cabinet meeting this week, accusing them of using “affordability” as a political ploy while ignoring soaring prices.

The president argued that although inflation has eased since he returned to office in January, Americans continue to feel the burden of elevated costs.

Trump slams Democrats for inflation and affordability 'scam'

Speaking from the White House, Donald Trump claimed Democrats had intentionally misled Americans during the 2024 campaign by focusing on affordability. “The word affordability is a Democrat scam,” Trump said.

“They say it and then they go into the next subject and everyone thinks, ‘oh, they had lower prices.’ No, they had the worst inflation in the history of our country.”

Trump insisted his administration “stopped inflation in its tracks” over the past year but acknowledged that progress has been uneven.

“There is still more to do,” he noted, predicting inflation was “going to go down a little bit further.” He also highlighted what he called early successes, including lower gas prices, easing mortgage rates, and cheaper grocery staples such as eggs.

Tariff-driven inflation rise challenges Trump’s recovery claims

Inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, a 40-year high, amid pandemic disruptions and massive federal stimulus spending.

Since then, price growth has slowed significantly, dropping to 3% in January when Trump returned to office and falling further to 2.3% in April, its lowest point since March 2021. But the improvement has stalled.

Inflation climbed back to 3% in September, the most recent month for which Bureau of Labor Statistics data is available.

The rebound coincides with Trump’s new round of tariffs, which raised import costs and forced US companies to pass some of those expenses on to consumers. Economists warn that this policy-driven bump may continue into early 2026 if tariffs expand further.

Voters doubt Trump’s economic leadership amid rising costs

A recent Fox News poll paints a challenging picture for the administration. According to the survey, 76% of respondents rated the national economy as “not so good” or “poor,” while 60% said their personal financial situation was also not good or poor.

The approval numbers were similarly bleak: 61% said they disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, compared to 38% who approved. Support was strongest among Republicans, with 77% backing the president’s performance, while only 25% of independents and 6% of Democrats agreed.

One of the most striking findings in the poll was how strongly Americans felt inflation was still out of control.

A full 52% said prices were “not at all” under control, while just 18% believed inflation was completely or mostly under control. Another 29% said prices were somewhat under control, suggesting that even with slowing inflation, economic pressure remains widespread.

Grocery bills were a major point of frustration, with 85% of respondents saying food prices had risen over the past year. Household necessities such as utilities, healthcare, and housing also became more expensive for at least two-thirds of voters.

Gas prices, however, offered some relief: 30% said their fuel costs had decreased over the past year, and only 54% reported increases.