WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will test his claims that he solving Americans' affordability problems at a rally Tuesday in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania — bringing an argument made in Oval Office speeches and social media posts to a campaign-style event.
The trip took place because surveys consistently show that public confidence in Trump's economic leadership stuttered. Next dismal results for Republicans in last month's off-cycle elections, the White House achieved sought to convince voters that the economy will be stronger next year and that any concerns about inflation have nothing to do with Trump.
President consistently accused his predecessorDemocrat Joe Biden is pro-inflation, although his own aggressive policies have led to rising prices that, after a spike in 2022, have stabilized to a four-decade high. Inflation began to accelerate after Trump announced his large-scale “Liberation Day” tariffs in April. Companies have warned that import taxes could be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices and hiring cuts, but Trump continues to insist that inflation has fallen.
“We are lowering prices,” Trump said at the White House on Monday. “You can call it ‘affordability’ or whatever you want, but Democrats created the affordability problem and we are the ones who are solving it.”
The president's reception in the district where he will rally on Tuesday could signal how much confidence voters have in his messages. Monroe County flipped to Trump in the 2024 election after backing Biden in 2020, helping the Republican win the swing state of Pennsylvania and return to the White House after a four-year hiatus.
Because the county is in the Pocono Mountains, it relied heavily on tourism from skiing, hiking, hunting and other activities as a source of jobs. Its proximity to New York City (less than two hours by car) also attracts people looking for more affordable housing.
It's also an area that could help determine control of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections.
Trump is holding his rally in the Republican freshman's district. Rob Bresnahanwho is a top Democratic target and won his 2024 race by about 1.5 percentage points, becoming one of the closest candidates in the country. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running for the position to challenge him.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said on the online conservative talk show “Mom's View” that Trump will be “campaigning” next year to attract supporters who might otherwise miss the congressional race.
