Ledger · Second term · № 269

Claimed victory on affordability while costs kept rising

Broken
“[paraphrase] We have won the war on affordability — prices are down.”
Promised
, State of the Union address, U.S. Capitol
Re-promised
6 times with a fresh deadline
Topic
Economy & prices
Era
Second term

What happened

Groundwork Collaborative called it a 'state of delusion': at the time of the speech groceries, electricity, rent, medical care and tuition were all above January 2025 levels, ACA premiums had jumped about 18% with subsidized out-of-pocket costs up more than 75%, and households faced roughly $1,300 in added annual costs in 2026. Senate Democrats' companion analysis documented higher prices and fewer jobs.

Sources

  1. State of Delusion: Trump Claims to Have 'Won' Affordability As Working Families Struggle Groundwork Collaborative, Feb 1, 2026
  2. The True State Of The Union Under Trump: Broken Promises, Higher Prices And Fewer Jobs Senate Democratic Leadership, Feb 1, 2026
  3. Broken Promises? Why US Grocery Prices Are Still Breaking Your Budget Korea Daily (English), Mar 1, 2026