President Donald Trump made a curious claim that the media only began using the term “affordability” after he became president.
During a rally at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas on Wednesday, August 5, the president argued that reporters never used the term until he entered office (via People).
“Our costs are coming way down. You know, they talk about affordability,” Trump said. “I took over the country. The prices were through the roof. In my first day, the press said, ‘What are you going to do about affordability?’ It was a word they devised — affordability. They never used that word before.”
He also spoke about the topic in December 2025 during a Cabinet meeting when he dismissed “affordability” altogether.
The president asserted, “Look, affordability is a hoax that was started by Democrats who caused the problem of pricing and they didn’t end it when, look, they lost in a landslide.”
He then defended his administration’s record on prices, pointing to lower energy and gasoline costs.
Trump also made headlines during his latest appearance in Las Vegas, while discussing oil prices.
“We may have to send it up again. You know what happens when we send it up, but we hope we don’t have to,” he told the crowd.
MS NOW interpreted the remark as a possible reference to future U.S. military action involving Iran, which could put upward pressure on oil prices.
Trump also spoke highly about his administration’s relationship with Venezuela, claiming the United States was receiving “billions and billions of barrels of oil” from the country.
Describing the arrangement as “the old-fashioned way,” Trump invoked the phrase “to the victor belong the spoils” while referencing the U.S. military strike.
In June, Trump faced backlash for declaring, “I love the inflation.” He made the statement shortly after government data showed U.S. prices had climbed at their fastest pace in three years (via BBC).
Trump later told the New York Post that the remark had been taken out of context.
“I love the inflation numbers because of what I’m talking about,” he told the outlet. “The numbers are going to be phenomenal because what’s showing is that despite the fact that we’re in a war, the numbers are much lower than anticipated and when we’re out of that war, the numbers will be at lower numbers than they were even before it started.”