Trump Heads to Pennsylvania to Highlight Affordability

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is heading to Pennsylvania to address the economy. The President will be giving a speech at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono on Dec. 9, to test his claims that he’s tackling Americans’ affordability crisis.

The town of Mount Pocono is located within two swing congressional district courts. The state of Pennsylvania is also widely considered a swing state. With the 2026 midterm elections inching closer, the region is significant for determining control of the House.

Last month, Democrats won several off-cycle elections across the country. The Democrats have used affordability concerns to propel their platform. Polling has also shown that public trust in the President’s economic initiatives has dwindled.

In April, Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The aggressive economic policy has increased costs, which have been decreasing since their four-decade high in 2022.

The President has continued to claim that prices are down, despite inflation being slightly greater than last year. Trump has instead placed the blame on his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

“We inherited a total mess from the Biden administration,” Trump said on Dec. 8 while discussing his new $12 billion aid package for farmers. “The Democrats caused the affordability problem, and we’re the ones that are fixing it.”

Kyle Kreider, a political science professor at Wilkes University, spoke to USA Today about the president’s trip. Kreider claims the upcoming speech is a sign that Republicans are concerned about midterm election outcomes. Kreider says Trump hasn’t “focused his attention on affordability, inflation, and the economic angst felt by most Americans.”

Trump has been more outspoken about cost-of-living concerns since the off-year election results. Most recently, he has claimed the Democrats’ position on the matter to be a “con job.”

White House Spokesman Kush Desai said that although “much work remains,” the president will be “highlighting the meaningful progress that his Administration has made” on the economy.