Trump’s Michigan visit spotlights economic struggles ahead of 2026 midterms
President Donald Trump visited Michigan on Tuesday to promote his economic policies ahead of the 2026 midterms. His trip included a speech at the Detroit Economic Club and a tour of a Costco plant in Dearborn. The visit comes as many Americans remain worried about rising living costs and inflation.
Trump’s speech focused on economic growth, highlighting recent inflation figures that held steady at 2.7% in December. Despite this, the rate remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, and 64% of Americans still view the cost of living as a very serious problem. Nearly half of voters believe the economy is worsening, with 57% disapproving of Trump’s economic management.
The president praised the latest inflation data but criticised Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, calling him either incompetent or crooked over budget overruns in the central bank’s headquarters renovation. Powell is also under a Justice Department criminal investigation related to his testimony on the project. Trump’s push for lower interest rates follows growing pressure from within his own party. Some Republicans argue he has not done enough to tackle high prices, an issue that helped Democrats win recent off-year elections by focusing on affordability.
The Michigan visit underscores Trump’s efforts to regain economic credibility before the midterms. With voters prioritising cost-of-living concerns, his ability to address inflation and interest rates could shape the election outcome. Meanwhile, Powell’s legal troubles add another layer of uncertainty to economic policy debates.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
