Trump Says Addressing Economic Woes Begins With One Issue

Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the key to tackling Americans’ economic hardships is focusing on lowering energy bills, doubling down on his promise to cut energy costs by 50% within his first year back in the White House.

Trump was in Flint, Michigan, for a town hall event hosted by Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The GOP nominee’s campaign event mainly focused on addressing the economy and auto industry.

During the town hall, one woman asked him how he would “bring down the cost of food and groceries” as many families struggle to pay their bills.

“We have to start always with energy,” Trump replied. “I don’t want to be boring about it, but there’s no bigger subject that covers everything. If you make donuts, if you make cars, whatever you make, energy is a big deal.”

“And it’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50%,” he added. “If I can do that, we’ve done a hell of a job … [and] interest rates are going to follow.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “It’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50% and interest rates are going to follow.” pic.twitter.com/2toW4ECs8Q

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 17, 2024

Trump has focused on addressing Americans’ energy costs for much of his 2024 campaign, announcing a plan last month to cut energy bills by half if elected. The monthly cost of electricity for Americans’ homes and businesses has been slowly rising since the turn of the century, but it spiked beginning in early 2022 — just one year into the Biden-Harris administration. Residential electricity sits at 16.41 cents per kilowatt hour as of June 2024, compared to 12.62 cents in January 2021, according to the Energy Information Administration.

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Natural gas also shot up to its highest price of the past decade in August of 2022 but has since fallen to near-Trump-era lows. Gasoline prices, however, have remained higher under the Biden-Harris administration than they were under Trump, sitting at a national average of $3.50 as of August. The highest national average for gas under Trump was $2.99 in May 2018.

Trump added during his event in Flint that his administration would “drill, baby, drill” starting on his first day back in the White House if elected.