Trump Gives Perplexing Answer When Asked To Grade Himself On The Economy

President Donald Trump is perfectly happy with the state of the U.S. economy under his watch, even as everyday Americans grow increasingly frustrated with the high cost of living.

Asked about how he would grade his performance on the economy in an interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns on Monday, Trump replied: “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”

When Burns brought up a Trump supporter she spoke to who said she’s worried about the economy and felt not enough was being done to bring down prices, the president did not seem to empathize with her.

“What you have to understand, the word affordability. … I inherited a mess. I inherited a total mess. Prices were at an all-time high when I came in. Prices are coming down substantially,” Trump said. “Prices are all coming down. It’s been 10 months. It’s amazing what we’ve done.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reacted to Trump’s self-assessment during an interview with CNN’s “The Source.”

“If this is an A-plus-plus-plus economy, God help us if we ever get to a B or a C,” Sanders said.

“I’ve got to admit, for his billionaire friends he is, in fact, an A-plus president,” Sanders continued.

Trump on Tuesday held a rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, in a swing district he carried by about 9 percentage points in the 2024 election, per CNN, to promote his economic record. The event was part of a White House strategy to take command of the issue as Republicans worry it could define the 2026 midterm elections.

“I have no higher priority than making America affordable again. That’s what we’re going to do,” Trump said.

Despite Trump’s claims that concerns about affordability are a Democrat-led “con job,” he seemed to concede that “prices are too high” at the moment. But instead of accepting responsibility for the effect his policies, including his trade war, have had on prices 10 months into his second presidency, he still blamed Democrats.

Prices are “too high because [Democrats] caused them to be too high, but now they’re coming down,” Trump said.

Americans are pessimistic about the economy, according to the polls. A Fox News political survey released last month showed 76% of voters have a negative view on the economy, while 61% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the issue.

Democratic candidates who focused their campaigns on the cost of living performed strongly in last month’s elections, delivering a fresh warning to the Trump administration.