Former President Donald Trump talked at length about the state of the economy on Thursday, slamming Vice President Kamala Harris’ soon-to-be-revealed economic agenda as a socialist plan that will continue Biden-Harris policies that have ravaged the cost of living.
“We call it the ‘Maduro plan,’ like something straight out of Venezuela or the Soviet Union,” he said, referencing socialist Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. “[Harris’ new economic plan] is an admission that her economic policies have totally failed and caused really a catastrophe for our country, and beyond that, a catastrophe in the world.”
Harris is expected to roll out her full plans for the economy in a speech on Friday.
The 45th president hosted an almost two-hour speech and press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey. The tables were filled with cans of food, meat, milk and cereal, highlighting how much groceries have skyrocketed since Harris became vice president.
Trump said that meat, poultry and fish are up 23%, children’s food is up by 24.1%, baking goods by 27.2% and cereal and bakery goods have gone up 26% under the Biden-Harris administration.
He predicted that an economic crash will happen if Harris is elected in November, blasted her for wanting to take away his tax cuts and claimed she wants to end private health care in favor of a “Communist system.”
Trump noted that the economy was in better shape when he was in office, and asserted that Harris has a “Communist lean.”
To solve the price problem, he offered one large solution: “drill baby drill.”
“So when I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on day one. We will end Kamala’s war on American energy, and we will drill baby drill. We’re going to drill, baby drill that’s going to bring down prices of everything, because energy brought it up,” Trump went on.
He also reiterated his vow to reduce energy prices in half and no taxes on tips or Social Security, which he said the economy would be able to make back through “growth.”
“Within a 12 month period, we’ll be able to reduce prices between regulation and having a tremendous supply which we have,” he said of energy.
The no taxes on Social Security is due to the rising inflation, he said, adding that he won’t raise the minimum age.
To solve the housing crisis, Trump said he would open up some federal land to build more houses on to increase supply.
“We’re going to open up tracks of federal land for housing construction. We desperately need housing for people who can’t afford what’s going on now, and when we open it up and we take off some of the restrictions and regulations.”
It comes after Trump on Wednesday outlined his second-term vision to support the middle class, featuring his plans to slash energy prices in half, dramatically claw back taxes and beat back inflation.
In the press conference that followed, Trump responded to questions about Republicans pushing him to focus on issues and not personal attacks against Harris, pointing out that she also attacks him and arguing he’s “entitled” to make them.
He said, “I’m very angry at her that she’d weaponized the justice system against me and other people very angry at her.”
“I think I’m entitled to personal attacks. I don’t have a lot of respect for her. I don’t have a lot of respect for her intelligence, and I think she’ll be a terrible president, and I think it’s very important that we win, and whether the personal attacks are good bad. I mean, she certainly attacks me personally.”
Trump later said he thinks he’s running a “calm campaign” and that this race is different in terms of strategy and defining his opponent, since “all we have to do” is call them “a communist or a socialist or somebody that’s going to destroy the country.”
He barely mention Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, but did criticize him for putting tampons in boys bathrooms in the state.
The press conference was Trump’s second in two weeks as he continues to pan Harris for “hiding” and doing zero interviews since taking over for Biden.
