President Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. is already in the "Trump economy," telling NBC News he is "very proud" to take ownership of current economic conditions and predicting 2026 is going to be even better.
"I think '26 is even going to be better," Trump told "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Llamas in the annual presidential interview with the Super Bowl host network – a commitment former President Joe Biden did not keep in 2023 or 2024 but Trump restored in 2025 and 2026.
"You know, we have hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into our country. Actually, trillions: $18 trillion is being invested in our country as we speak. And there are factories and plants and thousands of businesses being built all over the country.
"Nobody has ever seen anything like what's happening right now in America."
Trump also mocked his political opposition for failing to push the "affordability" narrative against him, after years of what he called "Bidenflation" quickly giving way to the "Trump economy."
"In the last four days, it's only four days, the Democrats have not uttered the word 'affordability,'" Trump said in the interview recorded earlier this week and aired on Super Bowl Sunday. "They're the ones that caused the problem.
"I took over a mess in every way."
Trump cited economic growth and massive investment commitments, noting gross domestic product has risen 5.6% under his watch.
While Trump acknowledged that the sitting president's party has historically lost congressional majorities in midterm elections, he said he hopes Republicans can restore what he calls election integrity with the SAVE Act, which would codify voter ID, proof of citizenship, and limiting mail-in balloting for illness, military, disability, and travel.
"We're working on the SAVE America Act, which is going to secure up our – a lot of things – but secure up our voting," Trump said. "I think people would like to do it. And I think Democrats would, too.
"You know, when you go to voter ID and you ask Democrats, it's polling at 82% with Democrats.
"I'm not talking about Democrat politicians. I'm talking about Democrats.
"We have to do something about our voting. We need strong borders. We need a fair press, which we don't have.
"We need elections where people aren't able to cheat. And we're gonna do that. I'm gonna do that."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.