By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-we-all-know-trump-is-not-making-your-life-more-affordable-spanberger-says Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: 'We all know' Trump is not making your life more affordable, Spanberger says Politics Feb 24, 2026 11:57 PM EDT Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Tuesday that Americans "did not hear the truth" from President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Watch the full clip in our video player above. In the official Democratic response to the president's speech, Spanberger stressed how Trump's policies on a host of daily issues, from health care to housing, hasn't made life more affordable. Instead, Democrats have been "laser-focused on affordability" in communities across the country, Spanberger said. "Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night," she said. "Problems that dictate where you live, whether you can afford to start a business or whether you have to skip a prescription in order to buy groceries." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. In his State of the Union address, Trump touted how his second term has considered affordability for Americans, such as driving down health care costs for people, while claiming that Democrats had caused high inflation. "Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family?" Spanberger asked during her remarks. "We all know the answer is no." Spanberger, Virginia's first woman governor and vocal Trump critic, was elected last November in an off-cycle election dominated by Democratic wins that was seen as a warning sign for Republicans in the upcoming midterms. Find more of our coverage READ MORE: How to watch Trump's 2026 State of the Union LIVE UPDATES: Trump's 2026 State of the Union address READ MORE: Live fact-checking Trump's 2026 State of the Union address POLL: Checks and balances aren't working under Trump, growing majority says READ MORE: Trump says he's kept all of his campaign promises. PolitiFact's MAGA-Meter shows otherwise A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He's also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Tuesday that Americans "did not hear the truth" from President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Watch the full clip in our video player above. In the official Democratic response to the president's speech, Spanberger stressed how Trump's policies on a host of daily issues, from health care to housing, hasn't made life more affordable. Instead, Democrats have been "laser-focused on affordability" in communities across the country, Spanberger said. "Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night," she said. "Problems that dictate where you live, whether you can afford to start a business or whether you have to skip a prescription in order to buy groceries." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. In his State of the Union address, Trump touted how his second term has considered affordability for Americans, such as driving down health care costs for people, while claiming that Democrats had caused high inflation. "Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family?" Spanberger asked during her remarks. "We all know the answer is no." Spanberger, Virginia's first woman governor and vocal Trump critic, was elected last November in an off-cycle election dominated by Democratic wins that was seen as a warning sign for Republicans in the upcoming midterms. Find more of our coverage READ MORE: How to watch Trump's 2026 State of the Union LIVE UPDATES: Trump's 2026 State of the Union address READ MORE: Live fact-checking Trump's 2026 State of the Union address POLL: Checks and balances aren't working under Trump, growing majority says READ MORE: Trump says he's kept all of his campaign promises. PolitiFact's MAGA-Meter shows otherwise A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now