Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump used a rare evening address from the White House on Wednesday to showcase what he called major achievements of his administration, while shifting responsibility for stubbornly high consumer prices onto his Democratic predecessor, as Republicans prepare for a challenging midterm election season next year.
Speaking for under 20 minutes in a fast-paced delivery, Trump said he had taken charge of a country in disarray and was steadily turning things around. “Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” he told the nation, though he stopped short of unveiling new policy measures to directly ease the cost-of-living pressures faced by Americans.
Instead, the president repeatedly pointed fingers at former president Joe Biden, past trade agreements, immigration policies and what he described as a deeply flawed system. Trump highlighted what he called progress on several fronts, including reduced illegal border crossings and lower prices for certain goods.
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Among the announcements, Trump said his administration would distribute a one-time “warrior dividend” of $1,776 to around 1.45 million US military personnel in the coming days.
He also endorsed a Republican-backed proposal that would provide direct cash payments to Americans to help cover health insurance costs, rather than continuing subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, a plan that has yet to gain sufficient backing in Congress.
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“I want the money to go straight to the people so you can choose your own healthcare,” Trump said, speaking in a room decorated for the holidays. “The only ones who lose are the insurance companies.”
