Just a little over a week before Christmas, President Trump addressed Americans in a live broadcast from the White House, telling them he believes the economy is doing well and that his administration is delivering on campaign promises.
“Tonight, after 11 months, our border is secure, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down, our nation is strong, America is respected, and our country is back,” he said.
His 25-minute remarks claimed a wide range of victories in 2025. Trump listed his achievements as curbing illegal immigration, reducing inflation, settling eight wars and bringing down gas and grocery prices.
The president announced he would pay the more than 1 million members of the military “warrior dividends” of $1,776.
“Nobody deserves it more than our military, and I say congratulations to everybody,” Trump said, adding, “Nobody understood that one until about 30 minutes ago.”
Trump also teased the imminent announcement of the next Federal Reserve chair. It will be “someone who believes in lowering interest rates by a lot,” he said.
Trump addresses Obamacare and health insurance companies
Trump referenced a recent Government Accountability Office report showing the Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as Obamacare) funneling money to insurance companies without providing individuals health care.
“The current Unaffordable Care Act was created to make insurance companies rich,” Trump said. “It was bad health care at much too high a cost.”
Instead of going directly to health insurance companies, “I want the money to go directly to the people, so you can buy your own health care,” he said.
Congress is currently debating if they should extend COVID-19-era subsidies for ACA insurance premiums, which automatically qualify anyone receiving unemployment benefits for $0 per month health insurance.
Affordability, affordability, affordability
Across the U.S. during his presidential campaign last year, Trump promised, “Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again (and) bring down the prices of all goods.”
During his remarks, Wednesday night, Trump reiterated that promise.
Trump said egg prices have gone down 82% since March, and Thanksgiving turkey prices were down 33% from last year.
“Everything else is falling rapidly, and it’s not done yet, but boy are we making progress,” he said.
And while prices are going down, real wages for workers have gone up, the president said, as he displayed several charts. “Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000. Under Trump, the typical factory worker has seen a wage increase of $1,300,” the president said.
He added, wages have gone up $1,800 for construction workers and $3,300 for miners.
The president also promised economic relief through tax cuts codified in the summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “Next spring is expected to be the largest tax refund season of any year,” he said.
Trump praises the private sector, promises ‘aggressive housing reforms’
At another point in his rapid-fire address, Trump said there are more people working today than at any time in American history, and all jobs created have been added to the private sector.
“One hundred percent of all jobs created since I took office have been in the private sector. Think of that ... which is the only way to make a country powerful and great,” he said.
He continued, “One year ago, our country was dead. It was ready to fail. Totally fail. Now we’re the hottest country in the entire world.”
Though he did not offer specifics, Trump said in the new year, he “will announce some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history.”
“We’re poised for an economic boom, the likes of which the world has never seen,” he said.
And as quickly as he began, Trump concluded, “To each and every one of you, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless you all.”