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LetMyPeopleVote

(174,967 posts) Thu Dec 11, 2025, 05:26 PM Dec 11

Maddowblog-'You can give up certain products': Trump tells Americans to settle for less

The president expects Americans to make sacrifices but doesn’t appear willing to make any sacrifices of his own.

Trump: â€œYou can give up certain products,â€ such as pencils and toys for children.

Also Trump: Letâ€™s talk about my new marble bathroom, my ever-growing White House ballroom, and the Gatsby-themed party at the glorified country club I own and profit from. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-12-10T16:37:40.508Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/you-can-give-up-certain-products-trump-tells-americans-to-settle-for-less

Instead, the president did what he always does at these events: In remarks delivered in a casino, he peddled a variety of foolish claims about the subject at hand while veering into ugly nonsense about immigrants, windmills and transgender people. (Given the seriousness of the subject and his own unfortunate record in the casino business, the White House probably could’ve chosen a better venue.)

The Republican did, however, make an unexpected argument to Americans concerned about affordability and the cost of living.

Trump at his speech on the economy: "You can give up certain products. You can give up pencilsâ€¦They only need one or two. They don't need that manyâ€¦You don't need 37 dolls for your daughter. Two or three is nice, but you don't need 37 dolls."
— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2025-12-10T01:48:57.831Z

....Complicating matters is the fact that while the Republican expects Americans to make sacrifices in response to his failing agenda, Trump doesn’t appear personally willing to make comparable sacrifices of his own.

On the contrary, the incumbent president remains focused on his new marble bathroom, his ever-expanding plans for a wildly unnecessary White House ballroom and his frequent trips to Florida, where he hangs out at the glorified country club he owns and profits from, palling around with his extremely wealthy customers at “Great Gatsby”–themed soirees.

It’s something to keep in mind as Trump tells Americans to buy fewer toys for their kids two weeks before Christmas.

7 replies

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Highlight:

Maddowblog-'You can give up certain products': Trump tells Americans to settle for less (Original Post) LetMyPeopleVote Dec 11 OP

Such a jerk... wcmagumba Dec 11 #1

You may only have 1 ballroom, 1 oil tanker, 1 Jet, I mean austerity people is good for you. Johonny Dec 11 #2

Why does trump need a ballroom that is larger than the rest of the White House? LetMyPeopleVote Dec 11 #4

I believe Bonn Scott explained this perfectly... Johonny Dec 11 #6

But He Promised to Fix Everything (and Bring Peace and Light!) on Day One! The Roux Comes First Dec 11 #3

Fuck off piggy Blue Owl Dec 11 #5

Not exactly "a chicken in every pot" eh? Wounded Bear Dec 11 #7

wcmagumba

(5,640 posts)

1. Such a jerk...

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Thu Dec 11, 2025, 05:27 PM

Dec 11

Johonny

(25,470 posts)

2. You may only have 1 ballroom, 1 oil tanker, 1 Jet, I mean austerity people is good for you.

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Thu Dec 11, 2025, 05:30 PM

Dec 11

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,967 posts)

4. Why does trump need a ballroom that is larger than the rest of the White House?

Reply to Johonny (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 11, 2025, 05:39 PM

Dec 11

Whether the president will ever devote this much attention to governing and policymaking is unclear.

As Trump hires another ballroom architect for his White House vanity project, a question hangs overhead: Will he ever devote this much attention to governing and policymaking?

I think we know the answer. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-12-05T14:04:30.667Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-taps-new-ballroom-architect-for-300-million-white-house-vanity-project

Behind the scenes, more troubles emerged. Trump handpicked architect James McCrery, who runs a small firm known for its work designing Catholic cathedrals, and soon after started to expand his ambitions. The New York Times reported, “What started as a 500-seat ballroom connected to the East Wing grew to 650 seats. Next, [the president] wanted a 999-seat ballroom, then room for 1,350....

When the shambolic process did not sit well with McCrery, it became time to bring in a new architect. NBC News reported:

The White House has brought in a new architect to work on President Donald Trump’s ‘vision’ for his massive $300 million ballroom project, officials said Thursday.

Shalom Baranes, head of Shalom Baranes Associates, has ‘joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump’s vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office — the White House Ballroom,’ White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.

.....Regardless, it seems likely that the president’s new architect should prepare himself for an endeavor in which Trump will be guiding his hand, ensuring this vanity project — a wildly unnecessary addition that will sit empty for most of the year and will only be used occasionally by the hyper-elite — meets his evolving standards.

Whether the president will ever devote this much attention to governing and policymaking is unclear.