President Trump told blue-collar Pennsylvanians Tuesday that “fat drugs” are going to become cheaper for millions of Americans next week after he strong-armed all major pharmaceutical companies to lower prices, declaring that his drug pricing reforms “alone should win the midterms.”
Trump visited a Mack Trucks plant in eastern Pennsylvania to urge support for Republican congressional candidates with an economic appeal — saying the resolution of the Iran war would swiftly ease energy prices and inflation and that booming stock value are making husbands look like financial geniuses.
Midterm elections generally have low turnout and Trump urged his own supporters to show up for lesser-known Republicans — and to remember how he saved them money on losing weight.
“Starting next week, weight loss drugs will be available for just $50 — think of that‚ for seniors who previously had to pay $1,200,$1,300, $1,400,” Trump said in the cavernous facility, mere hours after White House officials denied that Trump was himself taking a new weight-loss drug.
Medicare’s 68 million senior-citizen enrollees become eligible on July 1 for new discounts as the administration broadens access to GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, including Wegovy, Foundayo and Zepbound.
“These are the biggest price reductions in the history of our country for anything having to do with drugs, prescription medicine. So that alone should win the midterms,” Trump said of his “most favored nations” push, through which he used the threat of tariffs to get companies to bring US prices in line with sticker prices in other major countries.
“There’s a real chance that they would end it, because they’re totally controlled by these foreign countries, the Democrats.”
Medicare Part D, which covers prescriptions, did not previously cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss — meaning patients would have had to be paid out of pocket unless the recipient was using it to treat diabetes or heart disease.
Trump’s MFN drug initiative already lowered costs for the same drugs for people who did not have insurance coverage. The TrumpRx discount site, launched in February, brought average monthly costs for Wegovy pills from $1,349 to $149 and Ozempic from $1,028 to $350.
The president mixed humor into his political pitch, including claiming Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who is not up for re-election until 2030, could have lost his wife, Meta president Dina Powell, if he lost his 2024 race.
“His wife was gone if he didn’t make it,” Trump joked.
‘Oil is going to come charging down’
Trump’s approval rating on the economy has plunged since he launched the Iran war on Feb. 28, but he said that voters should expect a quick reprieve.
“Oil is going to come charging down and with oil comes everything else,” Trump said, after annual inflation rose to 4.2% in May.
“We just achieved a historic peace agreement with Iran to end the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, and by the way, yesterday 19 million barrels of oil flowed out of the Strait of Hormuz… It’s called an oil gush.”
Trump signed a memorandum of understanding last week to end the conflict, though key details, including the destruction of nuclear material, remain under negotiation in Switzerland.
“We’re trying to work out a deal that’s fair,” Trump said, vowing that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
“The stock market at a new high today again, and and oil for the first time in months hit — think of it $70 a barrel,” he said. “That equates to a very low price.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 all closed down Tuesday, though they do remain near all-time highs, and Brent crude fell below $76, near prewar rates.
Trump also said his Venezuelan military operation that in January captured President Nicolas Maduro and replaced him with the more pliable Delcy Rodriquez, has been “paid” for “28 times already” from oil proceeds.
“We have the Catholics and the Muslims — slightly different, but Venezuela’s been great, and Iran’s been great. I mean, you know, if Iran’s reasonable, if they’re smart,” Trump added.
“Otherwise we’ll have to finish the job, which will take about maybe less than a week, but they’re going to be okay. I think they’re going to do what they have to do, because we want to have it done.”
‘Biggest tax cuts in American history’
Trump also urged his crowd to remember that last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed without Democratic votes, granted significant tax breaks for tips, overtime, Social Security benefits and domestic car-loan interest.
“They voted against no tax on Social Security, They voted against no tax on tips. They voted against no tax on overtime,” Trump said.
“If they got into office, you will have all of those taxes and all of that money that you’re saving, including the big savings on Social Security — it’s going to all be terminated.”
Trump said the raft of tax reforms amounted to “more than $10,000 a year per household” in additional take-home pay in Pennsylvania.
To put a human face on the policy, Trump invited Sergeant Sam Elias with the Bethlehem Police Department on stage to talk about his overtime being exempted from taxes. The new policy allows workers to deduct $12,500 per year, or $25,000 per married couple.
Elias, a father of six, including a daughter named Melania in honor of the first lady, said, “Some pay periods, officers are working over 40 hours of overtime. That’s why I’m grateful for no tax on overtime.”
Trump attempted to paint his Democratic opponents — who are expected to investigate and impeach him if they reclaim Congress — as “communists,” including by highlighting two anti-incumbent socialists up for election Tuesday in New York City, each brandishing the endorsement of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“This country has gotten very strange politically, especially with all the communists that are up for election,” Trump said.
“If you look at New York, we have all communists running. They’re all excited; they’re going to win their primaries. But I can’t imagine they can beat a normal Republican. I think it’s a good thing. Wouldn’t you like to run against somebody like that?”
Trump brought on stage UFC fighter Bo Nickal, who was among the winners in this month’s seven-fight event on the White House lawn, proclaiming “the whole world watched it.”
Trump danced off-stage to “Y.M.C.A.” — working in a boxing punch move.
