Democratic lawmakers on Thursday slammed President Trump over comments he made about wanting to “drive housing prices up” for people who own their homes, with one congresswoman telling followers that he “doesn’t care about making your life more affordable.”
During a Cabinet meeting earlier Thursday, the president said he wants to keep homeowners “wealthy.”
“We’re not going to destroy the value of their homes so that somebody that didn’t work very hard can buy a home,” he said. “I don’t want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up for people who own their homes. And they can be assured that’s what’s going to happen.”
Several Democrats in both the House and Senate clapped back at the president.
“Are you trying to buy your first home? Trump wants your prices to go up,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) wrote on the social platform X. “But sure Donald, keep saying affordability is a hoax.”
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), who previously clashed with the president over his appearance in a video in which he and other lawmakers told members of the military they can refuse illegal orders, also criticized Trump’s remarks on X.
“Millions of hardworking folks can’t afford to buy—and the President’s tariffs are making it even more expensive,” Crow wrote.
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) added in her own post, “Millions of families are struggling to afford a roof over their heads & Trump’s response is to increase the price of housing. He doesn’t care about making your life more affordable.”
Housing prices have spiked recently, outpacing overall inflation. The median sale price of a home in December was $429,000, up by more than 28 percent relative to December 2020, according to data compiled by Redfin.
Trump has attempted to address the state of the housing market. Earlier this week, he issued an executive order aimed at stopping Wall Street investors from buying and owning single-family homes, arguing that such investors have bought a “growing share” of those properties.
“Hardworking young families cannot effectively compete for starter homes with Wall Street firms and their vast resources,” Trump said in the order.
But the president’s comment Thursday still ruffled some feathers in Washington, as affordability appears poised to remain a key issue heading into the midterm elections later this year.
“Trump’s affordable housing plan is basically: Screw you,” Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) wrote on X, while also sharing a video of the president’s remarks. “This will float like a lead balloon in fast growing Central Florida.”
Reposted from The Hill
