Politics

The Santa Presidency

Trump is trying to fix the economy—by handing out cash.

First published in The Atlantic on December 28, 2025.

by Toluse Olorunnipa, The Atlantic
January 1, 2026 | reading time: 9 Min.

President Donald Trump can hardly conceal his disgust for the word affordability, referring to its ascendance in America’s political lexicon as a “hoax,” a “con job,” and a “fake narrative” perpetuated by Democrats. But there’s one sign that he’s treating it like a very real political vulnerability: The former reality-television host is trying to give people cash.

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