The 2026 midterm elections will be "about pricing," according to President Donald Trump, who said that his administration is restoring the nation's economy after the condition in which former President Joe Biden left it.
"I think it's going to be about the success of our country," Trump said in an interview with Politico, the outlet reported Saturday.
"They gave us high pricing, and we're bringing it down. Energy's way down. Gasoline is way down."
Over the past two weeks, a series of positive economic reports has shown that inflation is decreasing, with the White House highlighting the latest data while addressing cost-of-living concerns nationwide.
According to a Politico poll conducted last month, Americans say they are finding that the costs of groceries, utilities, healthcare, housing, and transportation are too expensive.
Trump has been fighting to reframe that, however, blaming Democrats under Biden for driving prices up.
He said in the interview, conducted Friday, that "electricity is down. It's way down."
"When the gasoline goes down, and when the oil and gas go down, the electricity comes down naturally," he said. "But it's all coming down. It's all coming down. It's coming beautifully."
Trump also pointed to GDP numbers released Wednesday as proof of economic growth.
"You saw the 4.3%?" he said, noting the report that showed that the economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025.
"The Democrats were exploding. Their heads were exploding," he said.
Inflation also went to an annual rate of 2.7% in November, marking the smallest year-over-year increase since July, according to the Labor Department consumer price index report.
Meanwhile, Trump urged Senate Republicans to stop the filibuster, with a potential government shutdown looming at the end of January.
"The filibuster is hurting the Republican Party," he said. "If you get rid of the filibuster, you're not going to have a shutdown."
Trump added that "you can do everything" without the filibuster.
"You can do great healthcare if you get rid of the filibuster," he said. "We can do everything we want."
Ending the filibuster would also allow other GOP priorities, including voter ID legislation. Several Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, continue to defend the filibuster, calling it a vital procedural safeguard and a way to encourage bipartisan compromise.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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