Trump has spent more than 16 hours speaking at 13 appearances across 11 states since October 1, by my rough count. But many of the headlines generated by those appearances have had little to do with the cost of living.  

All 13 appearances aimed to boost Republican turnout ahead of the November 3 midterms. Trump talks about the economy, but rarely for long or in much detail. He touts manufacturing investments, recalls cheaper gas before the Iran war, asserts gas prices were higher under President Joe Biden and promises they will fall once the war ends. In Montana, he dismissed concerns that tariffs fuel inflation, insisting the country has "very little inflation," although the latest government data showed it rising to 3.7% in September from 3.4% in August. He has also pledged $5,000 payouts to all American adults if Republicans win. But the scattered remarks don't add up to a clear affordability message. 

Democrats have attacked Trump over rising costs, but they, too, have struggled to offer voters a clear economic message.

At five recent rallies, Trump repeated a story about spotting gasoline at $1.85 or $1.95 a gallon during a January visit to Iowa. But fuel-price tracker GasBuddy found no regular gasoline that cheap among more than 2,000 stations it monitored that day. The statewide average was $2.57, according to auto association AAA. The anecdote illustrates how Trump's economic message can lean on memories rather than offer new solutions. 

Even when he addresses the economy, the message often gets lost in his own digressions. 

In Youngstown, Ohio, Trump went from announcing a submarine-component facility to admiring the jawline of US Senator Jon Husted, an Ohio Republican. In Syracuse, New York, he complained about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. In Tennessee, he suggested renaming an ocean after himself. His Texas rally with Senate candidate Ken Paxton made news for protesters, while in Alaska, he signed presidential pardons onstage. 

There are exceptions. At a Baltimore-area shipyard, Trump announced a $3.7 billion private investment in submarine manufacturing, while a Texas factory visit highlighted jobs and tariffs. Both generated economic coverage. But unlike his sprawling rallies, those visits were built around specific announcements.

The political backdrop is getting tougher for Republicans – recent polling has added to concerns about their ability to hold on to Congress.  

With Republicans increasingly relying on Trump to rally their voters, his appearances have taken on greater importance. But they also mean the president, rather than the candidates themselves, often determines what gets talked about in the final weeks of the campaign. 

He repeatedly tells supporters to pretend he is on the ballot, hoping to mobilize voters who might otherwise skip the midterms. In close races, that could matter. 

But firing up the base is only part of the task. Republicans also need to attract voters unhappy with the economy who aren't committed to either party. They may never attend a Trump rally, but they'll see the headlines. 

Follow Reuters/Ipsos polling on the president's approval ratings here.

Trump's effort to lower energy prices ahead of the midterms is creating friction with a close European ally. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called a US-Russia diesel deal a "very risky choice" on Wednesday, warning it could undermine efforts to pressure Moscow into ending its war in Ukraine. Trump has defended the arrangement, saying it would lower energy costs, but European leaders worry it could provide Russia with revenue while weakening sanctions.