US President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about inflation and economic hardship, asserting that the American economy remains strong and that claims of widespread financial strain are part of a “con job by Democrats” designed to mislead voters ahead of the election.
In a Fox News interview aired Monday night, Trump argued that the country’s economic fundamentals are solid and accused mainstream media outlets of coordinating negative coverage. “The polls are fake. It’s a con job by Democrats,” he said. “They feed the anchors their lines, and every anchor says the same thing — it’s such a rigged system.”
Recalling similar patterns in past media reporting, Trump added, “I’ll never forget, they used that word ‘manufactured.’ You remember that? A manufactured economy. Nobody uses that word. Every anchor broke in with it at the same time. It’s all coordinated.”
According to government data, the US economy expanded by 3.8% in the second quarter of the year, an upward revision from earlier estimates. Meanwhile, inflation rose 3% year-on-year in September, the highest since January but still slightly below economists’ forecasts.
Trump used the figures to defend his administration’s record, insisting that prices and energy costs are falling. “Costs are way down. Gasoline is going to be hitting $2 pretty soon — or around $2. Gasoline is at $2.70 now and it was $4.50 under Biden. When energy comes down — and everybody agrees energy is down — we drill, baby, drill,” he said, reiterating his pro-energy production stance.
The president also brushed off criticism over renovations to the White House East Wing, which he said were necessary to make room for a new presidential ballroom. “The East Wing was a beautiful, little, tiny structure that had been renovated and expanded and disbanded. I could have built the ballroom around it, but it would not have been right. We’re building one of the greatest ballrooms in the world, by the way,” Trump said.
When asked about the proposal for 50-year home mortgages as a way to make housing more affordable, Trump appeared skeptical. “All it means is you pay less per month, but over a longer period of time. It’s not a big factor,” he remarked, instead blaming the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes under Joe Biden for the current housing challenges.
Despite positive economic data, recent polls have shown public dissatisfaction over high living costs and affordability — a perception Trump rejected outright. “People are better off, but the Democrats don’t want you to know it,” he said. “The economy’s not hurting — it’s humming.”
Trump’s remarks come as his administration touts what it calls a rebound in energy production, manufacturing growth, and job stability, even as critics argue that wage stagnation and housing pressures continue to weigh on middle-class households.
