Ex-Trump adviser vents old boss isn't 'temperamentally capable' of admitting prices are up

President Donald Trump is too obstinate to change course and realize the American people need a response to rising prices, an ex-adviser told Politico on Wednesday.

This comes after the president held a rally in Pennsylvania to discuss affordability, where he doubled down on calling the issue a hoax manufactured by Democrats — a message even some of his own supporters didn't buy.

“I think a lot more domestic events outside of Washington are great. Let’s do more of it,” the adviser, who asked for anonymity, told Politico. However, “unfortunately I just don’t think Trump is temperamentally capable of reversing himself and saying, ‘Yes, affordability is a concern.’ He’s stubborn.”

Trump's speech overall, according to the report, "demonstrated that Trump’s return to the trail is a gamble: It’s just as likely to provide Democrats campaign fodder as it is to motivate his MAGA base heading into the midterm elections. And, as Trump plans more rallies in the coming months, his Tuesday performance raises new questions about how the White House can best deploy the president to help ensure Republicans win key congressional and gubernatorial races."

This also comes as rising prices, driven in part by Trump's draconian tariffs on virtually all imported goods, are expected to get even worse after the holidays.

As all of this is going on, the report added, "there are signs the White House is looking to other surrogates to help carry the administration’s affordability push into next year, as Trump allies concede the president is unlikely to morph into a nuanced and empathetic messenger. Following Trump’s visit to northeast Pennsylvania, Vice President JD Vance will travel to Allentown next week, where he will emphasize 'how much the Trump administration is focused on the issue of affordability,' according to a Vance spokesperson."