As the midterms serve as a referendum on his second term, President Donald Trump continues to boast about his handling of the economy despite low approval ratings and ongoing public concern. A late September AP-NORC poll revealed that 82% of adults disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, with only 17% approving. While Trump paints a rosy picture of the economy, Vice President JD Vance has adopted a different tone on the campaign trail, appearing more sympathetic to the financial squeeze facing frustrated voters. On his way to a campaign event in Texas, Trump told reporters he gave himself an “A+” across the board. He discounted economic pain stemming from the conflict with Iran as a necessary tradeoff to prevent that nation from building a nuclear weapon. Trump also argued that he has had to campaign on his economic agenda himself because other Republicans are not selling it well enough, pointing to record employment numbers. However, the September jobs report showed only 29,000 jobs added, falling far short of expectations, while wages failed to keep pace with inflation. In contrast, Vance has acknowledged Americans’ economic anxieties and urged patience, telling voters at several rallies that Rome wasn’t built in a day. During an interview with Real America’s Voice, Vance noted that everything could not be fixed in 18 months, emphasizing that officials cannot ignore public concerns. Speaking at the All-In Summit last month, Vance urged business, tech, and investment leaders to give Republicans another chance and a couple more years to continue their work. When asked about the differing approaches, the White House maintained that Trump and Vance are delivering the exact same message to the American public regarding congressional control and the president’s agenda. Meanwhile, as a potential top Republican candidate for the White House in 2028, Vance told NBC News that midterm outcomes and upcoming information will factor into his future decisions.
Source: abcnews.com
