在唐纳・川普的第二任期中，尽管民调显示可负担性是美国人的首要议题，而且他承诺扭转乔・拜登时期疫情后通膨，是选民让他重返执政的重要原因之一，幕僚仍一直难以让他聚焦于此。进入第二个总统任期约 1 year 时，文中所述调查显示，民众对他在通膨、关税与更广泛经济方面的处理普遍不满。他在周二的国情咨文演说，可能是他全年最大电视观众场合，被共和党人视为在期中选举前重新校准讯息的机会，但他反而发表了熟悉、庆贺且高度个人化的演说风格。
这场演说强调经济迅速成功的主张，但多项说法受到既有数据与事实查核挑战。川普称他接手的是停滞经济、如今已「咆哮前进」，然而文中引用经济分析局数据显示，去年实质年 GDP 成长率为 2.2%，低于拜登 4 年中的每一年。他表示已取消高龄者的社会安全税，但实际通过政策是对 65 岁及以上者提供暂时性的 $6,000 扣除；他也强调 $1.99 汽油，但有线电视新闻网的戴尼尔・戴尔指出，在 150000 个加油站中仅有 8 个站点达到该价格或更低，约为 0.005%。
在生活成本承诺方面，文章对照竞选承诺与观察结果：在曾承诺将电费砍半 50% 之后，据报过去一年平均零售电价反而上升 6%。川普新的「ratepayer protection pledge」仰赖科技与 AI 企业作出不具约束力的承诺来自备电力，因缺乏法律强制力而产生执行风险。文中主张，他近 2-hour 的演说把绝对自我赞扬置于同理心之上，可能削弱共和党在 11 月的选举布局；若可负担性疑虑仍未解决，也会使未来 6 months 扭转公众情绪更加困难。
In President Donald Trump’s second term, advisers have struggled to keep him focused on affordability even though polling indicates it is Americans’ top issue, and his promise to reverse post-pandemic inflation from the Joe Biden period was a major reason voters returned him to office. About 1 year into his second presidency, surveys described in the article show broad dissatisfaction with his handling of inflation, tariffs, and the wider economy. His Tuesday State of the Union, likely his largest TV audience of the year, was viewed by Republicans as a chance to recalibrate messaging before the midterms, but he instead delivered a familiar, celebratory, highly personal speech style.
The speech emphasized claims of rapid economic success, but multiple assertions were challenged by available data and fact-checking. Trump said he inherited a stagnant economy now “roaring,” yet Bureau of Economic Analysis figures cited in the piece put real annual GDP growth at 2.2% last year, below each of Biden’s 4 years. He said he eliminated Social Security taxes for seniors, while the enacted policy was a temporary $6,000 deduction for people aged 65 and older; he also highlighted $1.99 gasoline, but CNN’s Daniel Dale reported that price or lower at only 8 of 150000 stations, roughly 0.005%.
On cost-of-living promises, the article contrasts campaign pledges with observed outcomes: after a vow to cut electricity bills by 50%, average retail electricity prices reportedly rose 6% over the past year. Trump’s new “ratepayer protection pledge” depends on nonbinding commitments from tech and AI firms to source their own power, creating execution risk because it lacks legal force. The piece argues his nearly 2-hour address prioritized absolute self-praise over empathy, potentially weakening Republican electoral positioning for November and making it harder to shift public sentiment over the next 6 months if affordability concerns remain unresolved.