President Donald Trump dubbed himself “the affordability president” in a Saturday morning social media rant that featured some fuzzy math in an attempt to dismiss widespread economic concerns and fuel his claims that his efforts would help Republicans win the 2026 midterms.
“Because I have invoked FAVORED NATIONS STATUS FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DRUG PRICES ARE FALLING AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE, 500%, 600%, 700%, and more,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
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Trump has frequently wielded numbers in this manner throughout his second term, claiming in July that he will cut prescription drug costs by 1,500% — despite numerous fact-checking outlets noting that percentages don’t work that way. Price cuts exceeding 100% would, in theory, mean customers themselves are being paid.
“No other President has been able to do this, BUT I HAVE!” Trump wrote Saturday. “This is also the answer to much less expensive, and far better, HEALTHCARE! Republicans, remember, this was done by us, and nobody else.”
He continued, “This is a revolution in medicine, the biggest and most important event, EVER. If this story is properly told, we should win the Midterm Elections in RECORD NUMBERS. I AM THE AFFORDABILITY PRESIDENT. TALK LOUDLY AND PROUDLY!”
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Trump has dramatically shifted his stance on affordability in recent weeks.
He called the term itself “a new word” earlier this month, insisting that overall prices have come down, and said that “the biggest problem” of all is that “Republicans don’t talk about” his purported victories in lowering costs — and that “Democrats lie about it.”
Evan Vucci/Associated Press
The affordability discussion in the U.S. has become impossible for Republicans to avoid. Even former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly recently warned GOP leadership, “you better get something going,” while his ex-colleague Laura Ingraham said the 2026 midterms “look ugly” for Republicans.
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Other Republicans have voiced similar concerns about the upcoming elections.
Trump’s post on Saturday follows substantial Democratic victories earlier this month in key elections across the country, in which affordability was central to their campaigns.
Trump reacted to that blowout at the time with expected deflection, blaming the recent government shutdown for those losses, and blaming said shutdown on the opposition — concluding that Democrats had only won because “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT.”