White House Press Secretary Defends Economic Policies Amid Inflation Scrutiny

During a briefing on Thursday, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt had a heated exchange with reporters, specifically targeting CNN’s Caitlan Collins for what she perceived as an attempt to manipulate the narrative around inflation.

Collins pressed Levitt to clarify President Trump’s seemingly contradictory statements regarding the economy. One moment the president claims the economy is thriving, while in the next breath, he suggests that families should skip Christmas gifts.

“Inflation is lower than it used to be. The overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) has slowed to about 2.5%,” Levitt asserted, attempting to maintain her point as Collins interjected.

“That’s down from what the president inherited, which was 2.9% in January. So, we’re moving in the right direction,” Levitt continued. “Just remember, when Trump left office in his first term, inflation was at 1.7%. The previous administration managed to escalate it to a staggering 9%.”

Affordability appears to be a crucial issue leading up to the midterm elections. Republicans seem to be refining their economic messaging after witnessing multiple Democratic victories focused on cost-cutting in the recent 2025 elections.

“In ten months, the president has pulled us out of this mess. Inflation stands at 2.5%, and we anticipate that figure will keep declining,” Levitt added.

Collins responded, “No one is claiming the economy wasn’t strong under the Biden administration. They’re merely saying it’s…hypothetical.” She seemed to challenge Levitt’s points regarding comparisons to the Biden era.

“My predecessor stood here and insisted inflation wasn’t real and also claimed our borders were secure,” Levitt rebutted. “Those were outright falsehoods. Everything I’m sharing with you is backed by hard data. Yet, it seems some are intent on pushing a misleading narrative about the president.”

Meanwhile, a recent Poll revealed that Trump maintains support among Republicans, aligning with his take on affordability policies.

Trump recently stated in an interview with Politico that he would give his administration an “A plus plus plus plus plus,” but a November Fox News national poll showed that approximately 76% of voters had a negative perception of the economy, increasing from 67% in July and 70% at the end of Biden’s term.