President Donald Trump's speech on affordability in Pennsylvania is getting mixed at best reviews even from his own supporters, analyst Willie Geist told MS NOW's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday.
"The inflation rate is higher than it was a year ago, and has been rising since President Trump's tariffs took effect in April," said co-anchor Mika Brzezinski. "Meanwhile, beef prices are at an all time high and tariffs are to blame for increased costs on common grocery items like coffee and orange juice. Also continuing problems, Willie, as more and more people appear to be having trouble finding jobs. Definitely having trouble buying homes. And affordability is a big issue."
"Not to assume what his supporters think here, but I really wonder how that speech went over if you're a Trump supporter watching it on TV and the comment about pencils and buying less, I don't know. I don't know. It seems like a little confusing," she added.
"He's saying that the economy is roaring and doing well, but at the same time he's preaching austerity," said Geist. "Buy less for your children, buy less for your family this Christmas, and you don't have to take it from us people. At the rally, Trump supporters interviewed by MS NOW, by NBC News, by The New York Times said prices are too high and they're disappointed by what they heard."
"Remember ... this was supposed to be a rally about affordability," Geist continued. "This was supposed to be to reframe the debate about affordability and acknowledgment that Americans are paying too much for their lives, that they need help from this administration. And he immediately goes on the stage with a banner that says lower prices behind him — which is not true, inflation is where it was when Joe Biden left office — and mocks the idea of affordability. He says it's a Democratic hoax and that no, prices are not actually too high. You're doing well."
"That didn't sit well," he added. "If you listen to those exit interviews of people at the rally, they say, I like Donald Trump, I like a lot of what he stands for. But he is wrong that things are going well in this country in terms of our pocketbooks."
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