President Donald Trump’s confidence in his own economic record ran into an uncomfortable reality check when a supporter’s complaints about rising prices were read back to him on camera.
In a new interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns, Trump was asked to grade his handling of the economy. He immediately jumped in with a trademark flourish, calling it “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”
Burns then confronted the president on a Pennsylvania supporter she had spoken with, Melanie from Westmoreland County. She told Trump that Melanie “loves” him and had given him an “A-plus-plus” overall, but said groceries, utilities, insurance and the basic cost of running a small business are rising “faster than wages,” and that not enough is being done to fix it.
Trump tried to seize on the praise first, stating, “I love her because you said I got an A plus on everything, I guess,” brushing off the criticism. When Burns pressed that the supporter was still worried about the economy, Trump pivoted to his talking points, claiming that he had “inherited a mess” from Joe Biden and insisting prices were already at “an all time high” when he returned to office.
WATCH IN FULL: President Donald J. Trump’s wide-ranging interview with Politico pic.twitter.com/RAvgfU4CiS
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 9, 2025
He went on to argue that prices are now coming down, pointing to cheaper gasoline and energy, and even predicting that beef costs would soon fall. “When energy comes down, everything” follows, he said.
Inflation has cooled from its post-pandemic peak of 9.1 percent in June 2022 to around 3 percent in recent months, but many households say they still feel squeezed by the cost of leaving after several years of increases.
“Inflation is as high today as it was the day Trump took office. His signature economic initiative—the steepest tariffs on imported goods since the Great Depression—has, predictably, increased costs for American consumers. Job growth has slowed this year” https://t.co/q4cBPKvWsp
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) December 9, 2025
As previously reported, a recent Politico-linked poll found that 46 percent of Americans now say the cost of living is the worst they can remember, including 37 percent of people who voted for Trump in 2024. Nearly half of respondents said Trump bears all or most of the responsibility for current economic conditions, outpacing those who primarily blame former President Joe Biden.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month put Trump’s overall approval rating in the high 30s, citing frustration over rising costs and economic pressures as a key factor. More recent polling has shown only modest improvement, with his approval around the low 40s even as he tries to refocus his message on affordability.
On the campaign trail, Trump branded himself the “affordability president,” but at a recent Cabinet meeting he dismissed the very word “affordability” as a “Democrat scam,” even while insisting his policies are making life cheaper.
For voters like Melanie they may still back Trump and give him an A, but many are living with higher costs for rents insurance, and basic household items. Polls suggest a growing part of his base are economically frustrated, crediting him for fighting culture wars while blaming him, at least partly, for what the prices they are paying for everyday living.
