Overview
- Exit polls and off‑year election results highlighted affordability as the top voter issue, sharpening political risks for Republicans heading into 2026.
- President Trump has dismissed talk of an affordability crisis and touted selective private data, drawing rare pushback in a Fox News interview and skepticism from voters who say prices remain high.
- Economists and right‑leaning commentators fault the administration’s tariffs for adding to costs; officials hint at targeted relief on items like coffee as proposals such as 50‑year mortgages and a $2,000 tariff dividend face criticism.
- A judge faulted the White House over delayed SNAP disbursements and the administration is seeking a stay of the order, while Senate Republicans voted against a standalone extension of enhanced ACA marketplace subsidies.
- Independent indicators show grocery, electricity and housing costs rising with inflation near 3%, polling shows elevated job‑loss anxiety, and even some Trump supporters report ongoing financial strain.