Claims inflation 'far lower than anybody expected' and has 'stopped' in North Carolina speech

During an economic speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Trump falsely claimed 'inflation is far lower than anybody expected' and repeated his December 17 assertion that inflation has 'stopped.' Government data showed inflation at 2.7% year-over-year for November—a slowdown, not cessation. A late November High Point University poll found 60% of North Carolina voters disapprove of how Trump is addressing inflation, and his national economic approval stood at 36%. The Wall Street Journal reported Trump's 'stopped' claim contradicted the 2.7% figure. The false claims appeared designed to counter evidence that his tariff policies reaccelerated inflation from the 2.3% rate he inherited in January 2025.

"Yesterday, it was announced that inflation is far lower than anybody expected." — Economic speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, December 19, 2025