President Trump delivered a politically charged speech Wednesday carried live in prime time on network television, seeking to pin the blame for economic challenges on Democrats while announcing he is sending a $1,776 bonus check to US troops for Christmas, the AP reports. The remarks came as the nation is preparing to settle down to celebrate the holidays, yet Trump was focused more on divisions within the country than a sense of unity. His speech was a rehash of his recent messaging that has so far been unable to calm public anxiety about the cost of groceries, housing, utilities, and other basic goods.
Trump has promised an economic boom, yet inflation has stayed elevated and the job market has weakened sharply in the wake of his import taxes. Trump suggested that his tariffs—which are partly responsible for boosting consumer prices—would fund a new "warrior dividend" for 1.45 million military members, a payment that could ease some of the financial strains for many households. "The checks are already on the way," he said. Presidential addresses to the nation carried on network television are traditionally less partisan than rally speeches, but Trump gave a condensed version of his usual political remarks, including insistence that he's "fixing" the economy.
The president sought to end the address on a high note, noting the Olympics and World Cup soccer matches that will take place in the United States next year. Trump made an appeal to patriotism by noting that 2026 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and closed his speech by wishing viewers a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
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