Trump hits the road in his campaign to change perceptions of the economy

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — In a campaign-style speech Friday night, President Donald Trump made his latest effort to persuade Americans that he is reducing costs and improving the economy, while also veering off into lengthy riffs that had nothing to do with either

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — In a campaign-style speech Friday night, President Donald Trump made his latest effort to persuade Americans that he is reducing costs and improving the economy, while also veering off into lengthy riffs that had nothing to do with either.

Trump is facing growing pressure to demonstrate that his policies are making groceries and other necessities more affordable. Recent polls have shown that voters are unhappy about economic conditions and blaming Trump for not doing enough to fix them.

Eager to stave off losses in the midterm congressional elections next year, Trump is stepping up efforts to show that he is already producing results and that voters will see their financial burdens lighten as his term goes on. On Wednesday, he gave a rare primetime address to the nation— an opening bid in his campaign to change perceptions that the economy is weak.

“We’re fixing four years of disaster and decline,” Trump said Friday at an event center in eastern North Carolina, a perennial battleground state where Republicans are trying to hold a Senate seat in 2026.

“We were a dead country, and now we’re talking about the golden age of America — think of it, in 10 months,” Trump said.