Trump Says ‘Hoax,’ Top Trump Adviser Says ‘Hole’: Two Very Different Messages on Affordability
WASHINGTON — A top White House economic adviser on Thursday acknowledged the nation’s affordability problems just days after President Donald Trump dismissed the issue as a “Democrat hoax,” creating a widening split inside the administration over how to describe the financial pressure facing American households.
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Appearing on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the administration is “making progress” on lowering costs but argued that lingering challenges stem from the previous administration.
“We’re making progress but it’s gonna take a little bit more time to get the hole that Biden dug to be completely filled,” Hassett said in the live interview from the White House.
The comment stands in contrast to Trump’s language earlier this week, when he claimed Democrats were using “affordability” as a political weapon and insisted the underlying concerns were overstated. Trump has continued to tout easing inflation and rising consumer spending as proof that economic anxiety is exaggerated.
Hassett’s remarks, however, implicitly acknowledged unresolved cost-of-living pressures that voters continue to report nationwide — particularly around rent, groceries, and utilities. While the administration has pointed to wage growth and slowing inflation as signs of improvement, polling shows a persistent gap between economic indicators and public sentiment.
The exchange highlights a growing tension in how senior officials characterize the state of the economy: the president attempting to neutralize affordability as a political liability, and his chief economic adviser conceding that the problem remains significant and will require more time to resolve.
The White House has not commented on the discrepancy between the president’s statements and Hassett’s assessment aired Friday morning.