Overview
- In a Fox News interview Monday, President Trump labeled affordability worries “a con job by the Democrats” and said polls showing anxiety about prices are “fake.”
- University of Michigan data cited by CNN show the current-conditions sentiment gauge at its worst level since 1951, roughly 30% below where it stood in January.
- Official figures show consumer prices up about 3% year over year in September, and AAA puts average gasoline at $3.07 a gallon, contradicting claims that costs are “way down.”
- Following GOP losses where costs were central, the administration has floated steps including a DOJ probe of meatpackers, a possible 50‑year mortgage option, and $2,000 tariff-funded checks that would need legal or legislative action.
- Economists warn of slowing wage growth and a soft patch in hiring that could deepen voter dissatisfaction and increase Republicans’ electoral risk heading into 2026.