President Donald Trump has criticised the term 'affordability' as a political message, calling it a concoction of Democratic consultants, even as he campaigned in Georgia on Wednesday and promoted his economic record. Speaking at a rally in Marietta, he acknowledged that prices remain high but attributed this to lingering effects of the Biden administration.
Trump was in the politically divided swing state to promote his newly funded 'Trump accounts', which establish tax-free investment funds for every child born through 2028, seeded with $1,000 from the federal government. The accounts are controlled by parents until the child turns 18, after which funds can be used for college, buying a home, or starting a business.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking before the president, described the accounts as 'the triumph of capitalism over socialism' and took a swipe at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of repackaging failed ideals. Several Republican candidates joined Trump, including Rick Jackson, who pledged to seek state funding to match the federal contribution to the accounts.
Jackson, founder of Jackson Healthcare and a billionaire, said he would personally match the $1,000 if the Georgia legislature failed to do so. Georgia recorded over 126,000 live births in 2024, equating to $126 million in annual contributions for Trump accounts. The state began the 2026 fiscal year with a $15 billion budget cushion, a surplus from conservative budgeting since 2021.
Trump also likened Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who faces re-election in a closely watched race, to the character Pee-wee Herman. Polling shows Ossoff with a lead over Republican nominee Mike Collins, who was in Washington for a budget vote. The national debt increased by about $8 trillion during Trump's first term, more than any other president on an inflation-adjusted basis.
