Trump rallies in Pennsylvania as voters voice frustration over high prices and affordability concerns

President Trump returned to battleground Pennsylvania overnight for a campaign-style rally centered on the economy

(NBC)- President Trump returned to battleground Pennsylvania overnight for a campaign-style rally centered on the economy — and debuted a new slogan aimed at frustrated voters: “Lower prices, bigger paychecks.”

“We’re getting inflation, we’re crushing it,” the president said to cheers, even as recent polling shows many Americans remain unhappy with persistently high prices and skeptical of his progress in bringing them down. In a separate interview, Trump graded his own economic performance as “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”

NBC News’ Garrett Haake spoke with voters in Scranton, where reactions were mixed.
“Sure, yeah,” said resident Trevor Williams.
Others, like Elizabeth Moore, laughed off the president’s self-evaluation.

Some residents described a complicated economic picture. “The prices in here are crazy,” said Mike Pastore, pointing inside a grocery store. “But… the 401(k)s are going up. It’s a mixed bag.”
Asked if he’d vote for Trump again, voter Tom Tompkins responded, “No… because of the affordability.”

Nationally, gas prices have dipped below $3 a gallon on average. But grocery prices remain a sore spot — up more than 1% since January, with staples like beef, orange juice, and coffee seeing noticeable spikes. Trump continued to blame Democrats and his predecessor for ongoing economic challenges, saying, “We’re repairing four years of disaster.”

Meanwhile, affordability was also the driving issue in Miami’s mayoral race, where Democrats are projected to win the seat for the first time in nearly 30 years. With control of Congress at stake in next year’s midterm elections, cost-of-living concerns are shaping up as a defining political battleground.