ABC News reports a sharp contrast inside the White House’s economic message: President Donald Trump is praising what he calls an “A+” record, while Vice President JD Vance is publicly recognizing that many voters still feel squeezed and is asking for patience.
The poll number framing the fight
According to a late-September AP-NORC poll cited by ABC News, 82% of adults disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 17% approve.
What Trump is saying
ABC News reports that on his way to a Texas campaign event last week, Trump told reporters he gave himself an “A+” across the board. The outlet also reports he discounted economic pain from “the war with Iran” as a tradeoff with preventing that country from developing a nuclear weapon. In late September, Trump said Republicans were doing “an extremely poor job” of promoting his agenda, adding, “There are by a lot more Americans working today than at any time in the history of our country … but nobody knows it.”
What Vance is saying
Vance has struck a different tone while still touting administration wins. At rallies, he has urged patience, saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” per ABC News. In an interview last week with Real America’s Voice, Vance said, “Everything was not going to be fixed in 18 months. But you can’t ignore people’s concerns.” At the All-In Summit, he asked voters to give Republicans “another chance,” saying there’s “a lot of work left to do” and to “give us another couple of years,” according to ABC News.
Data points ABC News highlighted
Even as Trump emphasizes job growth, ABC News notes the September jobs report showed 29,000 jobs added—below expectations—and that wages are not keeping up with inflation.
White House says the message is unified
Asked about any split in tone, the White House told ABC News: “President Trump and Vice President Vance are sharing the same message with the American people: if Republicans hold Congress and keep delivering on President Trump’s agenda, American families will have more money in their pockets, secure borders, and safer streets.”
2028 watch
ABC News describes Vance as a top Republican prospect for 2028. The outlet reports that when NBC News asked him last week whether midterm results would affect a decision to run, Vance said he would consider it, noting, “Regardless of what happens over the next 35 days, there will be new information” to weigh.
