WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump intends to preview his agenda for next year and beyond in a live speech from the White House on Wednesday night, remarks that come at a crucial juncture as he tries to rebuild his steadily eroding popularity.
The White House offered few details about what the Republican president intends to emphasize in the 9 p.m. ET speech. Public polling shows most U.S. adults are frustrated with his handling of the economy as inflation picked up after his tariffs raised prices and hiring slowed.
The president’s mass deportations of immigrants have also proven unpopular, even as he’s viewed favorably for halting crossings along the U.S. border with Mexico. The public has generally been nonplussed by his income tax cuts and globe-trotting efforts to end conflicts, attack drug boats near Venezuela and attract investment dollars into the U.S.
In 2026, Trump and his party face a referendum on their leadership as the nation heads into the midterm elections that will decide control of the House and the Senate.
Trump has claimed that more Americans would support him if they simply heard him describe his track record, which administration officials say will reverse the recent decline in manufacturing jobs and dramatically increase tax refunds next year.
“It has been a great year for our Country, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” Trump stated in a social media post announcing the speech.
Despite these optimistic assertions, analysts point to a fragile job market, where monthly job gains have plummeted since Trump's tariff announcements in April, and the unemployment rate has climbed from 4% to 4.6%.
Trump continues to attribute challenges like inflation and the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine to his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden. He has expressed a desire for the public to hear his plans and achievements, signaling a significant moment as he endeavors to gain ground heading into critical midterm elections.
