Address to the nation by Donald Trump | “Eleven months ago I inherited a disaster and I’m fixing it”

(Washington) “Good evening America. Eleven months ago I inherited a disaster and I’m fixing it. »

This is how Donald Trump launched a short end-of-year address on Wednesday, in which he firmly maintained his economic course despite the growing discontent of Americans, while overwhelming his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden and violently attacking immigrants.

The only concrete announcement in this speech broadcast live at prime time: the sending of “warrior dividends” to 1.45 million American soldiers, checks for $1,776 recalling the date of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.

For the rest, the 79-year-old billionaire judged that America was going to experience “an economic boom like the world has never known” and accused his predecessor Joe Biden of having left him an economy “on the verge of ruin”.

The Republican president also assured that prices, the main source of concern for households, were falling “rapidly”, while indicating that the fight against inflation was “not yet over”.

Huge figure

He once again boasted of having resolved eight wars, a figure largely imaginary according to experts, and spoke of the staggering $18 trillion in new investment in the United States since his return to power.

Donald Trump also repeated that thanks to him the price of medicines in the United States would fall by up to “600%”, which is mathematically impossible.

Even as his protectionist policies leave Americans skeptical, he has reiterated that tariffs are his “favorite word.” The Republican also repeated his desire to end the subsidized health insurance system known as Obamacare, which the Democratic opposition believes will increase costs for households.

Donald Trump assured that many of the difficulties encountered by his fellow citizens were the result of an “invasion” of immigrants during Joe Biden’s mandate.

The American president, who is pursuing a policy of mass expulsions accompanied by severe restrictions on immigration, congratulated himself on having initiated a process of “reverse migration” or “remigration”.

He accused immigrants of creating a housing crisis, “stealing” jobs, “overwhelming” hospitals and, in short, living off taxpayers’ money.

Survey

The American president’s optimistic vision of the economy contrasts with the concern expressed in surveys on the cost of living.

According to a PBS News/NPR/Marist opinion poll published Wednesday, 61% of Americans believe that the economic situation is not favorable to them personally, compared to 57% in May.

Americans’ disappointment with Donald Trump’s economic policy, based largely on customs duties, worries Republicans less than a year before the mid-term legislative elections.

Donald Trump, after a rally last week in Pennsylvania, will be in North Carolina (southeast) on Friday to try to mobilize voters.

He recently expressed his frustration with the polls, writing on his Truth Social network: “When will we finally say that I created, without inflation, perhaps the best economy in the history of our country? When will people understand what’s going on? »

“We must persevere”

If Donald Trump maintains that the situation is better than his compatriots’ perception of it, other officials are asking Americans to be patient.

One of the White House’s main economic advisers, Kevin Hassett, reacted Tuesday to the increase in the unemployment rate in November by recalling that economic growth remained strong and declaring: “Generally, job creation follows. »

He predicted that it would take six months for industrial employment to rebound, thanks to the investments made possible by the American president.

Voters “know that Rome was not built in a day. They know that what Joe Biden broke will not be fixed in a week,” said Vice President JD Vance during a rally Tuesday in Pennsylvania.

“We must persevere. We must continue to work to bring good jobs and money back to the United States,” he added.