Boasting Tariff and Tax Cut Achievements in National Address
Announces Populist Policies Including Special Bonus for Military Personnel
Struggling with declining approval ratings, President Donald Trump of the United States praised his own economic achievements in a nationally televised address on the 17th (local time), announcing that he would provide a "warrior dividend" to 1.45 million U.S. military personnel. As public dissatisfaction mounts due to rising prices and economic burdens, analysts interpret this as an attempt to shift the political climate with a populist policy.
"I Revived an Economy on the Brink of Collapse"... Trump Praises Himself Despite Record-Low Approval Ratings
During his approximately 18-minute address to the nation, President Trump devoted a significant portion of his remarks to highlighting his own economic achievements and criticizing the "failures" of the previous Joe Biden administration.
President Trump asserted, "I am reviving an economy that was on the verge of collapse domestically," and claimed, "The allied forces of the previous (Biden) administration and Congress (the Democratic Party) siphoned off trillions of dollars from the treasury, driving prices to unprecedented levels." He went on to boast, "With the passage of my 'Outstandingly Big and Beautiful Bill (OBBBA),' next spring will see the largest tax refunds in history."
Regarding his tariff policy, he stated, "I have attracted $18 trillion in investment to the United States, the largest amount in history. This means job creation, higher wages, economic growth, new factories, and much stronger national security." He emphasized, "A significant part of this achievement is thanks to my favorite word: tariffs." He added, "With the new tax cut policy introduced this year, many American families will save $11,000 to $20,000 annually," and expressed confidence, saying, "Next spring will be the biggest refund season ever, thanks to the effects of tariffs and the (tax cut) bill."
Another Populist Move from Trump? ... 'Warrior Dividend' for Military Personnel
President Trump also mentioned the "warrior dividend" for the military, emphasizing, "Service members will receive a special bonus called the 'warrior dividend' before Christmas." He added, "This warrior dividend was established to commemorate the founding of the nation in 1776. Every service member will receive $1,776 (approximately 2.63 million won)."
This national address came amid growing public discontent over rising prices. As such, there was widespread speculation ahead of the speech that President Trump would highlight the achievements of his economic policies.
According to a poll conducted by PBS, NPR, and the polling agency Marist from December 8 to 11, surveying 1,440 adults (with a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points), only 36% of respondents said President Trump was doing a good job managing the economy. This is the lowest figure across both of President Trump's terms. Only 38% of respondents said he was performing well as president.
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