WASHINGTON (UNITED STATES) (ITALPRESS) – In a rare first-time speech from the White House, US President Donald Trump has claimed the results of his administration on border security, immigration and energy, trying to relaunch his political agenda at a time marked by low levels of approval on economic management. A politically charged intervention, broadcast on live television, during which the president attributed economic difficulties to the Democrats and the legacy left by his predecessor Joe Biden, while announcing the sending of a $1776 bonus check to the US military on Christmas. Speaking to the nation, Trump argued that his government “inverted the decline” of the country, stating that illegal crossings on the southern border fell drastically and that the prices of certain consumer goods and energy show signs of slowing down. “We have inherited a disastrous situation, but in a few months we have made America stronger, safer and more respected,” he said, reasserting that the hardline on immigration remains an absolute priority. “ Eleven months ago I inherited a disaster and I’m fixing it. We are ready for an economic boom, as the world has never seen,” he added.
Standing by two Christmas trees and with a portrait of George Washington behind in the White House’s diplomatic reception hall, the president promised a strong economic recovery, bringing with him charts to demonstrate, to his say, that the economy is growing, that incomes increase, inflation is falling and that the investments are closing in the country. Trump said that foreign leaders would assure him that the United States is “the most attractive country in the world”, an expression already used on other public occasions. The speech came at a politically delicate moment. According to the latest polls, the president’s approval on economic management remains low, attesting around a third of voters, while the cost of life continues to be one of the main concerns for Americans. Inflation, which was falling after reaching the maximum of the last forty years in 2022, resumed to accelerate after the announcement of import duties on Trump to April. The consumer price index now grows at an annual rate of 3%, compared to 2.3% recorded in the same month. The labour market also shows signs of weakening: the average monthly increase in jobs was about 17 thousand units after the introduction of duties, while the unemployment rate rose from 4% January to 4.6%.
Trump has avoided dwelling on negative data, preferring to speak of a “refined stability” and announcing that the administration will work in the coming months to new measures to support economic growth and employment. He promised that the mortgage rates will come down and that they will be presented “some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history.” According to the president, investment commitments for new factories will stimulate manufacturing employment and consumer activity will improve thanks to increased tax refunds planned for next year. One of the most important announcements was a Christmas bonus for US troops: a $776 cheque intended for approximately 1,45 million military, for a total estimated expenditure in about 2.6 billion dollars. Trump explained that the figure is a symbolic reference to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, scheduled for next year, and claimed that the funds come partly from import duties. “The checks are already on the way,” the President assured. Despite the festive context, the tone of speech appeared at times hard and polemic. Trump spoke at a tight pace, with passages that touched anger, focusing more on internal divisions to the country than on a message of unity. Traditional presidential speeches to the nation on television are usually less auspicious than the communes, but the intervention appeared as a condensed version of its usual political rhetoric.
On the political level, the President must also face other difficulties. The mass deportations of immigrants were unpopular, despite a generally positive judgment for the fall of illegal crossings on the border with Mexico. His efforts in foreign policy, including attempts to put an end to international conflicts and attacks against alleged drug warships near Venezuela, have not aroused particular enthusiasm in public opinion. Trump also tried to attribute to the Democrats the likely increase in health insurance premiums, in view of the expiry of the Affordable Care Act subsidies, but without engaging in a concrete legislative proposal. The intervention in the first evening was interpreted by observers as an attempt to regain consensus among moderate and independent voters, in view of the mid-term elections of 2026 that will determine the control of Chamber and Senate. After the end of the television broadcast, Trump turned to his collaborators asking for an opinion on the action. Accordingly, the assistants would have reassured him on the outcome of the speech. The president then told that the chief of staff of the White House, Susie Wiles, had suggested to him to speak to the nation, complimenting him for respecting the expected times.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
