President Trump traveled to Michigan this week to defend his economic record, placing responsibility for the affordability problems facing American households on his predecessor. The speech came as energy prices have risen, an issue that touches a central promise of his campaign to bring costs down for consumers.

During the 2024 race, lower energy and gasoline prices were a recurring theme of Trump's pledges to voters. Since then, prices for gasoline and household energy have risen, a shift that has drawn attention because it involves everyday expenses.

In Michigan, Trump attributed high costs to the Biden administration, saying the conditions he inherited continued to weigh on prices. He also spoke in defense of policies of his second term, including a new round of tariffs and a tax law that his administration has presented as measures to strengthen the domestic economy.

The question also carries stakes within his own party. Some Republicans have expressed concern about rising gasoline prices and the effect they could have on the coming elections. Those Republicans have stopped short of assigning blame to the President.

Two accounts now sit alongside each other. The administration emphasizes inherited conditions and points to its tariffs and tax changes as policies intended to produce results over time. Others point to the rise in energy prices since Trump took office, set against his campaign pledges to lower them.

The affordability question remains unresolved, and its causes are a matter of dispute between the administration and its critics.

References

1. 1.Trump's Michigan speech — the President's remarks attributing high costs to his predecessor and his defense of tariffs and the tax law
2. 2.2024 campaign coverage — Trump's pledges to lower energy and gasoline prices
3. 3.Energy and gasoline price data — the rise in prices since the election
4. 4.Republican reactions — party concerns about gasoline prices and the coming elections