This email was sent to ft1nr37o@anonaddy.me from newsletters@email.independent.co.uk
Click here to deactivate this alias

Friday, November 7, 2025

Democrats seize the affordability argument. What will Trump do?

As the next election cycle approaches it increasingly looks as if Democrats have recaptured the narrative around economic issues and cost of living — to the detriment of Trump and his MAGA allies in Congress, many of whom are up for re-election in a year.

Winning Democratic campaigns of all political stripes, from Democratic Socialists of America-aligned Zohram Mamdani in New York to center-left Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, made high prices the main focus of their appeals to voters.

As famed Democratic political consultant James Carville once said: “It's the economy, stupid."

Tuesday’s results made it very clear: voters are desperate for relief from high prices caused by inflation and an economy that is transitioning faster and faster towards unstable “gig” work and equally downwardly-mobile professions that fail to provide the economic security enjoyed by previous generations.

So which party will carry the banner of fighting the high cost of living next year?

Well, so far, Donald Trump’s only response has been to tell Americans: Don’t believe your lying eyes!

During an interview with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell over the weekend, Trump pushed back against assertions that any grocery prices were higher than they were before his term began.

“No, you're wrong,” Trump said when asked about the high prices.

Americans, however, are seeing the truth on grocery store shelves every week.

Read more here:

By John Bowden

Reading list

Mike Bedigan and Rhian Lubin: Flight cancellations start to soar as airports comply with cuts over government shutdown
Alex Woodward: Judge orders Trump to fully fund SNAP after defying court order

Daily briefing

Donald Trump stands in the Oval Office while people tend to a man who fainted

Trump announces plans to slim down cost of popular weight-loss drugs to $149 a month

Democrats may be putting their focus on the rising prices of food, energy and other cost-of-living factors, but Donald Trump was focused Thursday on bringing one very specific cost down: Ozempic. Andrew Feinberg has the story.

Don’t forget to complete your registration

You haven’t completed your registration with The Independent. It’s free, quick, and helps support our journalism while tailoring your experience.

Register now to enjoy benefits including access to limited Premium articles, The Independent app, more than 20 newsletters and commenting on independent.co.uk.

Complete your registration today to unlock access.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

You could smell the onions and the mustard.

A CBP agent testified in the trial of a man who threw a sandwich at him in Washington, D.C.

The sandwich-tosser, Sean Charles Dunn, was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault by a jury on Thursday.

What else you need to know

Welcome to the Windy City: A federal judge is banning immigration authorities from firing tear gas and using other riot weapons during protests in Chicago. District Judge Sara Ellis also accused Greg Bovino — the top Border Patrol official for Trump’s mass deportation operations in Chicago — of lying in court about his officers’ behavior. Alex Woodward has the story.
Musk's big payout: Tesla shareholders have overwhelmingly voted to award Elon Musk a massive $878 billion pay package, rather than risk losing him, backing their 'superstar CEO' to drive the electric vehicle manufacturer toward a market value of $8.5 trillion within a decade. Joe Sommerlad and Josh Marcus report.

Join the conversation and follow us

Download the free Independent app