Trump Says Inflation Costing Families Almost $1,000 a Month, Criticizes Democrat Stewardship of US

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Mesa, Ariz., on Oct. 9, 2022. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump spoke about the impact of runaway prices on American families and described a “nation in decline” while rallying on behalf of his endorsed candidates in Arizona over the weekend, urging rally-goers to vote Democrats out of office and “save this country.”

Telling rally-goers that rampant inflation was costing Arizona families $1,000 per month and calling on “hard-working patriots” to vote Republican in the mid-terms and “save this country.”

At the rally in Mesa, Trump painted a picture of America in chaos under President Joe Biden’s stewardship.

“Under Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, and the radical Democrat Congress, gasoline prices ... are up 86 percent in a very short period of time—and they’re going higher,” Trump told the crowd, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.).

Gasoline prices have reversed their recent decline, with the national average up for the third straight week and the price of diesel back above $5 a gallon, according to oil analyst Patrick De Haan.

Gas Prices ‘Like a Rocket Ship’

Trump criticized Biden for depleting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to its lowest level in decades “all to get gasoline prices down before an election.”

“The day after the election, you’re going to be like a rocket ship,” Trump added, predicting a surge in pump prices.

Tom Kloza, an expert on North American fuel markets, said in a post on Twitter that there had been an “incredible spike” in heating oil, jet fuel, and diesel markets.

“Return of some ugly inflation to freight, home comfort, and airfares,” Kloza said.

The former president then gave a stark estimate for the impact of soaring prices on Arizona households.

“Inflation is costing the typical Arizona family almost $1,000 a month,” Trump said. “Think of that—almost $11,000 a year.”

Border ‘Completely Obliterated’

He spoke about a historic erosion of U.S. household wealth while criminals are raking in profits owing to a border that has been “completely obliterated.”

“The cartels and human traffickers have seen their incomes skyrocket” by 2,500 percent since Biden took office, Trump claimed.

The former president then drove home his message that the country, under a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House, was on the wrong track.

“We are a nation in decline,” Trump said. “We are a nation that in many ways has become a joke.”

“But we are not going to allow this horror to continue,” he continued. “It is hard-working patriots like you who are going to save this country.”

Eileen Satter of Scottsdale was among the throngs of Trump supporters at the event.

Satter said she plans to vote for a straight Republican ticket on Nov. 8 to “get control of the border, get control of fentanyl coming into the country, and reduce gas prices and inflation.”

Benjamin Reyes and wife Hilda of Arizona say they're going to vote a straight Republican ticket in the November elections during a rally featuring former President Donald Trump in Mesa, Ariz., on Oct. 9. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Satter told The Epoch Times that Biden tapping into the nation’s SPR is an “intentional” move calculated to bring gasoline prices “down a bit before the election.”

Robert Zegley of Phoenix told The Epoch Times he hopes Republicans win resounding victories in next month’s midterm election.

“It might not be a clean sweep, but I think momentum is going towards the right,” Zegley said.

“If they end up with the House and the Senate, they‘ll have a little more leverage. With the House, they’ll be able to get some things rocking and rolling.”

Allen Stein contributed to this report.