WASHINGTON ¨C U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s repeated mockery of the word ¡°affordability¡± is worrying Republican strategists, who say the fixation risks undercutting White House efforts to reassure Americans about the cost of living ¡ª a top voter concern heading into next year¡¯s congressional elections.
Those fears were underscored during Trump¡¯s speech to supporters in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night. The White House billed the speech as the first in a series by the president to address criticism that he is not paying sufficient attention to voters who say they are struggling with high prices.
Instead, the 90-minute speech veered into attacks on the word affordability, which Trump derided as a ¡°hoax¡± by Democrats to exaggerate the cost of living. While he did acknowledge that prices were high, he insisted the economy was booming and people were taking home more pay.
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