U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he returns to the White House after his trip to China, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 15, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump was offered the chance to back off a highly controversial statement he made earlier this week about Americans' financial situation — but not only didn't he take it, he doubled down further.
Trump was asked in an interview that aired Friday by Fox News' Bret Baier about his remark to Meidas Touch's Pablo Manríquez that "The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran – they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody."
In response, Trump simply said it was a "perfect statement."
"That's right, that's a perfect statement. I’d make it again," said Trump, brushing aside any of Baier's concerns that most people would "stop the soundbite" at a moment when it would make him sound bad.
"It's very simple," said Trump. "When people hear me say it, everybody agrees. Short-term pain, it's going to be short-term pain. But the pain is going to be much less than people thought."
Commenters on social media ran with Trump's new remarks.
"But Republicans said that’s not what he meant…" wrote Pennsylvania state lawmaker and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta.
"'He was just joking' 'You’re taking him out of context' 'I didn’t hear him say that' - Republicans, probably," posted the official Meidas Touch account.
"Republican candidates in Trump +15 districts hearing him double down," wrote former Republican strategist turned Lincoln Project adviser Jeff Timmer, posting a GIF of celebrated actor Neil Patrick Harris looking disappointed.