in advance President Donald Trump visit to Monroe County and the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro he dismissed Trump’s comments that his economy deserved an “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus” rating.
“The president’s statement does not reflect the reality in a community where many Pennsylvanians voted for him in the last election,” he added. Shapiro told POLITICO this afternoon. “The evidence is clear: His policies have harmed the very communities that pushed him to the White House. Trump’s tariffs and economic policies have raised grocery store prices, closed markets to our farmers, hurt our manufacturers and dramatically increased the cost of living for Pennsylvanians.”
According to the latest consumer price index, prices have increased by three percent in 12 months ending in September. Utility prices fell in September but have increased by almost 12% over the past year. cup of coffee costs 20% more than in 2024, when Trump promised to drop grocery prices.
“The word affordability – I inherited a mess,” Trump told Politico Dasha Burns. “When I arrived, prices were at an all-time high; prices are coming down significantly.”
Trump’s top advisers portray his trip to Pennsylvania as an attempt to “renew the affordability message that has been hampered by his insistence that the economy is strong.”
“Bringing his alternate reality and talking points to our Commonwealth will not lower grocery costs or make life more affordable for working families,” Shapiro added. “Instead of putting on a show, he should partner with Democrats and Republicans to actually cut costs for hard-working families – just like we did here in Pennsylvania.”
Other Pennsylvania lawmakers are cautious in their comments about Trump’s assessment.
Fox Business asked Senator Dave McCormick whether he thinks most Pennsylvanians agree with his own assessment.
“I think the starting point is to dig the huge hole that we find ourselves in as a result of the Biden administration.” he said. “The president says we’ve done a remarkable amount in the last 12 months. The economy is better. … But there’s a lot more work to do. Working families who still live paycheck to paycheck still feel overwhelmed – by health care and energy costs.”
“Trump’s Republican economy is not A-plus” – House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.) said at a press conference this afternoon. “Ordinary Americans are not confused about this, and if there is any debate about the success or failure of this economy over how it can be classified, the only question is whether Americans would give it a D for disaster or an F for failure.”
Representative Dan Meuser (R-09) disagrees.
“Over the past nine months, President Trump’s economic plan has been rooted in real growth – through tax reform, strong energy policy, regulatory rollbacks, broader access to banking and investment, and a more competitive trade strategy. Biden created scarcity. We create productivity. Pennsylvania has the labor and resources to win, and yet state leadership continues to stifle growth.”
