President Donald Trump on Wednesday night used a prime-time address from the White House Diplomatic Room to argue that his administration is reversing what he described as economic devastation inherited from the previous Democrat administration.
He told Americans that the country is "bringing our economy back from the brink of ruin."
The address, carried live on Newsmax, came as Trump marked nearly one year back in the Oval Office and sought to reassure voters frustrated by high prices and lingering affordability concerns.
"Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I'm fixing it," Trump said. "When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years — and some would say in the history of our country — which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans."
Trump squarely blamed former President Joe Biden and Democrats for the economic challenges facing households, arguing runaway spending and trillions of dollars in new debt fueled inflation and rising costs.
"Here at home, we are bringing our economy back from the brink of ruin," he said. "The last administration and their allies in Congress looted our Treasury for trillions of dollars, driving up prices and everything at levels never seen before."
Trump said his administration is already pushing prices lower and promised faster relief ahead.
"I am bringing those high prices down and bringing them down very fast," he said.
A major focus of the speech was the GOP's sweeping tax legislation, which Trump described as the largest tax cut package in American history.
He said the law will deliver significant savings to working families and supercharge refunds next year.
"Next year, you will also see the results of the largest tax cuts in American history," Trump said. "Under these cuts, many families will be saving between $11,000 and $20,000 a year, and next spring is projected to be the largest tax refund season of all time."
Some Republicans privately expressed worry that voter anger over the cost of living could hurt the party in the November 2026 midterm elections.
Trump, however, has rejected that concern, arguing that voters understand the challenges he inherited and the progress being made.
"The message this evening is we inherited a mess, and we've done a great job, and we continue to," Trump told reporters earlier Wednesday. "Our country is going to be stronger than ever before very soon."
To reinforce that message, Trump has ramped up domestic travel, taking his economic pitch directly to voters.
During a visit to Pennsylvania last week, he vowed to "make America affordable again," a slogan expected to anchor his upcoming appearances. He is scheduled to hold another campaign-style rally Friday in North Carolina.
Vice President JD Vance has also emerged as a key messenger for the administration's economic agenda. Speaking Tuesday in Pennsylvania, the Ohio Republican urged voters to be patient as policies take effect.
"They know Rome wasn't built in a day," Vance said.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.