Democrats accuse Trump of making life more expensive for Americans — but the data says otherwise
The country had added 130,000 jobs in January and inflation remained at 2.5%.
Feb. 17 2026, Published 9:42 a.m. ET
On paper, the American economy is doing better than it has in several years. President Donald Trump has expressed pride in the work his administration has done so far. However, Democrats show no sign of being convinced. Several Democrats have raised the matter of affordability in the wake of surprising inflation and job reports. The reports showed that the Trump administration had exceeded expectations in both regards.
Last year, inflation stood at 2.5%, bringing it as close as ever to the Fed’s 2% target as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau also reported that the country added 130,000 jobs in January, beating predictions made by the likes of Reuters, Oxford University, and Bloomberg. Several estimates had stated that the US would add 50,000 to 75,000 jobs in the first month of the year.
Democrats have long criticized Trump’s tariff measures as one of the biggest reasons for high prices across the country today. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, said that these numbers do not mean that the President has kept up his promise of making life affordable for all Americans. "Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. But one year into his second term, food continues to get more expensive, utility costs are soaring, and housing prices are rising," she said, as per Fox News.
"Trump is making life less affordable for American families – and instead of fixing the economic pain he’s caused, he says this is the Trump economy, and he is ‘very proud’ of it," she added. Of course, some Democrats, such as Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. brought the tariffs under scrutiny as well, as the primary reason for prices being higher than ever despite Trump’s promise of affordability.
"Donald Trump promised he would end inflation on ‘day one.’ Today is Day 389, and prices are higher than ever," he said. "Instead of keeping his promise, Trump has increased the costs Americans pay through his massive tariff taxes — the highest tariffs since the Great Depression. Ordinary Americans simply can’t afford Trump’s reckless economic policies."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also slammed the administration over high prices as well. "Costs haven’t gone down in the United States of America. Costs have gone up under failed Republican policies. Housing costs are out of control. Grocery costs are out of control. Healthcare costs are out of control. Utility bills are out of control. And childcare costs are out of control," he explained.
Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said that more jobs won’t make a difference if the wages remain low. "Beating expectations once doesn’t absolve the pain of the meager monthly average of 15,000 jobs created last year," he said. "The fine print of this report, which shows significant downward revisions of Trump’s first year in office, casts strong doubt that people can rely on this administration to deliver for them.”
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