Trump lays out plan for combating inflation during ‘intellectual speech’ in North Carolina
Former President Donald Trump focused on the economy Wednesday in what he called an “intellectual speech” where he outlined his plans for combating inflation.
“A lot of people are very devastated by what’s happened with inflation,” the Republican nominee for president said in a speech in Asheville, North Carolina. “So we’re doing this as an intellectual speech. You’re all intellectuals today.”
Trump, 78, went on to announce two new initiatives that he would undertake as president that said would “rapidly” bring prices down.
“On my first day back in the Oval Office, I will sign an executive order directing every cabinet secretary and agency head to use every tool and authority at their disposal to defeat inflation and to bring consumer prices rapidly down,” the 45th president said.
“It will be a whole of government effort to raise the standard of living and make American lives affordable again,” Trump added, noting that will instruct his cabinet that he expects “results within the first 100 days, or much sooner than that.”
The former president also pledged to work to cut energy prices by 50% within his first year in office, if elected.
“I am announcing today that, under my leadership, the US will commit to the ambitious goal of slashing energy and electricity prices by half, at least half,” Trump declared.
He noted that he hopes to achieve that objective “ within 12 months, at a maximum 18 months.”
The policy speech comes as Republicans – mostly behind closed doors – have signaled that they feel Trump needs to focus more on articulating his policy proposals and his stances on key issues rather than leveling personal attacks against Vice President Harris.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley publicly urged Trump on Tuesday to “quit whining” about Harris, 59, and focus instead on “issues.”
“The campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes, it’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is, it’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb,” Haley, who challenged Trump in the GOP presidential primaries, told Fox News’ “Special Report” host Bret Baier.
Trump, standing in front of a black banner noting his “No Tax on Tips” and “No Tax on Social Security” policy promises, accused Harris of wanting to “talk about her fantasies” rather than working to improve the economy.
“What she needs to explain is the present suffering that she’s caused along with Joe Biden,” he said, rattling off a list of worrying economic numbers since President Biden and Harris took office, including lower real household earnings, higher credit card debt, higher mortgage rates, higher insurance rates, and higher grocery and gas prices.
“With four more years of Harris your finances will never recover,” Trump argued.
“She thinks she’s going to bring down prices … It’s been three and a half years. Why aren’t you doing it now?”
