President Trump made his remarks in a speech that focused on affordability issues that are increasingly plaguing his administration.
President Trump announces $1,776 ‘Warrior Dividend’ to US military
President Donald Trump announced that his administration will distribute $1,776 “Warrior Dividend” checks to military members before Christmas.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump gave a forceful defense of his first 11 months in office, pointing out Americans’ economic worries to Democrats in a combative White House prime-time address that set the tone for the 2026 midterm elections.
President Trump made the remarks in a Dec. 17 speech focused on affordability issues that are increasingly plaguing his administration and threatening the party’s electoral chances next year.
With inflation recently rising to 3%, polls show the public is increasingly losing confidence in President Trump’s management of the economy, and he blames the problem on his predecessor in the White House and immigrants without legal status.
The president’s brief speech (running less than 20 minutes) was often retrospective, mentioning former President Joe Biden seven times and ridiculing a leader he claimed had made life “unaffordable for millions of Americans.”
“This happened during the Democratic administration, and that’s when you first started hearing the word affordability,” Trump said.
President Trump’s comments come amid signs of economic slowdown, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.6% in November, the highest level since September 2021. According to a December NPR/Marist poll, the president’s approval ratings have also fallen at the same time, with only 36% of Americans approving of Trump’s management of the economy.
As the first year of President Trump’s second term draws to a close, challenges loom for him at home and abroad, but the president largely avoided foreign policy in his remarks as domestic concerns increasingly gain attention ahead of the 2026 midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. President Trump also did not address the shocking acts of violence that have riveted the country in recent days.
President Trump said there is reason to be optimistic about the future, saying the tax cuts and other policies he passed will spur economic growth. He also announced Christmas benefits for military personnel and promised other measures next year, including “the most aggressive housing reform plan in American history.”
Below are key points from his remarks.
blame everything on biden
Mr. Trump’s highly political speech, in which he blamed Mr. Biden and the Democratic Party for disaster on the economy, the border, and more, quickly became the biggest blow in his signature attacks.
“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” President Trump reiterated in his opening remarks.
The speech came as Trump’s job approval ratings have declined as he struggles to turn around Americans’ bleak outlook on the economy and the cost of living. NBC News reported that a poll released on December 14 found his approval rating at 42%.
Democrats have defended President Trump, accusing his policies of worsening the “price crisis.” President Trump’s reaction? He criticized Biden, who he mentioned seven times in his speech, and Democrats, who he mentioned eight times.
But history shows that blaming one’s predecessor rarely works, and the longer President Trump remains in the White House, the harder it will become.
Meanwhile, President Trump painted a dark picture of the America he inherited, saying “drug dealers, gang members and murderers” were pouring across the border. He falsely claimed that the United States had “men participating in women’s sports,” that crime was at a “record high,” and said the United States had “the worst trade deal in history.”
President Trump said, “The whole world laughed at our country, and we’re not laughing anymore.” “Over the past 11 months, we have brought about more positive change in Washington than any administration in American history. We have never seen such change.”
“Warrior’s Dividend” from Customs Revenues
President Trump said every military member would receive a $1,776 bonus on Christmas from funds raised from customs revenue.
President Trump said of the bonus: “The checks are already in the mail.” as a “warrior’s dividend” to the country’s 1.45 million military personnel.
This was one of the few policy announcements in President Trump’s speech. He also teased major changes to housing policy next year. He blamed rising housing costs on immigrants without legal status and said deportation efforts would help reduce costs.
President Trump’s military bonus plan comes as the Supreme Court is expected to decide soon on the fate of Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs. If the country’s high court rules against the president, his military benefits would be in jeopardy.
It’s not even entirely clear whether Trump has the authority to write the checks. Parliament holds the power of the purse when it comes to spending public funds.
President Trump says price cuts are ‘not over yet’
President Trump touted the decline in prices from post-pandemic highs during the Biden administration, but acknowledged there are still challenges ahead.
President Trump said of efforts to lower prices: “We’re not done yet, but are we making progress?” “No one can believe what’s going on.”
Democrats have used affordability as an underlying campaign message to perform well in off-year elections across the country. Democrats hope to regain control of the House and Senate during the final two years of President Trump’s White House and are poised to double down on affordability policies in the 2026 midterm elections.
In remarks before his speech, President Trump derided “affordability” as a campaign issue invented by Democrats. But he took a different route in his speech, instead highlighting drugs, housing and policies aimed at lowering prices, touting his administration’s tariffs even though economists say they are contributing to rising prices.
No mention of the Venezuelan shooting incident
President Trump’s focus on economic issues represents the current administration’s greatest political liability, one that increasingly consumes his attention even as other high-profile issues dominate the headlines.
President Trump’s months-long campaign to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power is reaching an inflection point in a series of aggressive maneuvers, including the seizure of an oil tanker, announced blockades of other sanctioned tankers, a massive military buildup, and a deadly attack on an alleged drug ship.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said in an interview with Vanity Fair that Trump plans to pressure Maduro until he “creeps his uncle crying.” But President Trump did not mention military operations or the other major foreign policy issue facing his administration, the war in Ukraine.
The president also did not address the high-profile acts of violence that have rocked the nation in recent days, including the Brown University shooting and the death of acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner.
Trump energetically delivers his speech
Trump is used to going off-script and giving long, meandering rally-style speeches that touch on a wide range of topics, anything that comes to Trump’s mind.
But during Wednesday night’s speech, President Trump appeared glued to the teleprompter, barely catching his breath.
Trump recited his speeches at breakneck speed, sometimes losing track of when to move from one topic to the next.
President Trump’s remarks in front of a prime-time audience were different from what he said at campaign rallies.
Whether he convinced skeptical Americans that he was moving the country in the right direction is debatable.
