Reuters Warns: Trump's Economic Messaging Chaos May Drag Down Republican Midterm Hopes

**Trump’s Inflation, Economic Claims Out of Touch—Risks GOP Midterms: Reuters** Reuters analysis published Feb. 10 finds former President Donald Trump’s talks about inflation and the cost of living are out of touch with reality, endangering the GOP’s upcoming midterm elections. Multiple Republican strategists and former administration economic officials warn Trump may be repeating the mistakes President Biden made during high inflation, eroding his and the party’s credibility on voters’ top economic concerns. Since last December, in five economic speeches, Trump has claimed nearly 20 times inflation is defeated and 30 times prices are falling—but public perception and actual data don’t support these claims. Inflation has hovered near 3% over the past year, while everyday costs keep rising: ground beef is up 18% year-over-year, ground coffee 29%. Reuters’ review of roughly five hours of his speeches found nearly half the time strayed from economic topics, shifting to immigration, foreign affairs, and attacks on political rivals. GOP insiders fear his self-described “intermittent” style is muddling his core economic message, leaving voters without a clear understanding. Republican strategists bluntly caution that if Trump continues making reality-disconnected comments ahead of the November midterms, he could drag down GOP candidates in key swing districts. Polls show only ~35% of Americans approve of his economic handling—sharply lower than his early post-inauguration ratings. Former economic officials add that a president’s top election-year priority is proving they grasp voters’ economic struggles. They note ignoring this was precisely why Biden lost the 2024 election.