Hundreds of Americans braved the freezing cold on December 9 to hear President Donald Trump discuss his economic agenda at the Mount Airy Resort and Casino in rural Pennsylvania. Some attendees expressed frustration with soaring living expenses, but did not blame the 79-year-old president.
“Yes, prices are high, but sometimes things have to get worse before they get better,” said Brianna Shay, 26, holding a sign reading “Trump Gives Us Hope.” She echoed Trump’s claim that the current situation stems from former president Joe Biden, saying the “previous president caused very serious problems for us.”
“I think people will eventually have enough money to live comfortably. But Trump has been president for less than a year. He can’t fix everything in such a short time,” said Shay, who works in public education. Outside Mount Airy, fields were covered in snow and a lake was frozen over, while inside, a packed hall greeted Trump with cheers and supported his assertion that prices in America are now “falling sharply.”
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Trump continued to blame his predecessor for the country’s economic difficulties, while the crowd expressed strong agreement. At one point, a woman shouted, “I hate Joe Biden!”
Even Trump’s most loyal supporters, such as Tevin Dix—who stood first in line to hear the president speak—acknowledged the current financial strain.
“Things are a bit tough. Everyone is struggling right now,” said Dix, an air-conditioning installation technician.
However, the 30-year-old believes that Trump’s proposals, including imposing steep tariffs on trade partners, will soon begin to pay off.
“If he keeps raising tariffs, other countries will move production to the U.S., which will bring jobs to Americans,” said Dix, who wore a Christmas sweater featuring Trump’s portrait.
Many Americans blame tariff policies for rising living expenses, which have pushed Trump’s approval rating to its lowest point since the start of his second term, according to a Gallup poll released in late November. Yet the attendees at the Pennsylvania rally continued to praise and defend him.
“This past Black Friday was the biggest shopping discount event ever. If people say Americans don’t have money, I don’t know where they got the money to shop,” said Mark Johnson, 70.
“All my investments are making a profit. I’m happy. You can’t fix everything overnight — everything takes time,” he added, holding a cut-out image of Trump wearing a Santa hat.