Trump: Cost of Living Concerns Are 'Fake'

President Trump dismissed concerns about the cost of living on Tuesday, calling the affordability issue a "con job." "They just say the word. It doesn't mean anything to anybody. They just say it—affordability," Trump said, per the New York Times, accusing Democrats of inventing a "fake narrative" to mislead voters. He repeated his claim that he inherited "the worst inflation in history" from President Biden while claiming credit for economic improvements.

The comments mark a shift from just days ago, when Trump, calling himself the "affordability president," touted his efforts to bring prices down. Trump even discussed the issue with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a recent Oval Office meeting, acknowledging that cost-of-living concerns resonate with voters. Yet on Tuesday, Trump returned to attacking Democrats for focusing on the issue as a means of political gain.

According to the Times, Trump risks appearing out of touch with voters who consistently rank affordability as a top concern in polls. A recent CBS-YouGov poll shows 58% of consumers feel prices are on the rise, per KSBY. Meanwhile, a Yahoo-YouGov poll shows 49% of respondents believe Trump has done more to increase prices than he has to lower them, per the Hill. While Trump has tried to claim credit for reducing inflation, he's largely ignored upticks in recent months, per the Times. "There's always more to do, but we have it down to a very good level," he said Tuesday.