Despite Donald Trump’s insistence that Americans are thriving under his economy, mayors from across the political spectrum have told MS NOW that the “golden age” described by the president is far from the everyday reality their residents face.
Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Republican Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina, joined “The Weekend” on Sunday to discuss how their constituents are faring under Trump’s economic policies and why they are urging the federal government to “get its act together.”
Rickenmann, who has served as Columbia’s mayor since 2022, said people in his city are “struggling” and that he hears concerns about affordability “every day.”
“I’m not saying that we’re doing terrible here,” he said, “but we’re not in the golden age.”
In Allentown, Tuerk, who also assumed office in 2022, said his residents are facing rising costs across the board. “People in Allentown — but people in cities across America — are struggling with gas prices. They’re struggling with energy prices. They’re struggling with the cost of food in the supermarket, and they’re struggling with housing,” he said.
While the Democrat noted local officials have some power to address those concerns, he urged the Trump administration to step up and take action.
“Mayors are focused on improving affordability in cities, and we don’t have a lot of levers that we can pull. One of them is trying to make it easier for housing to be built. We try to improve people’s access to good jobs,” he said. “But when the federal government can’t get its act together and fund SNAP and fund these healthy nutrition programs, we don’t have a good answer for that one, as mayors.”
Rickenmann agreed that the administration should be doing more to address affordability. He stressed that his community is not just upset with the White House, but with Congress’ inaction as well. “People are upset with the federal government all the way across from the administration to Congress because they’re not getting things done right,” he said.
“This is time for Congress and the administration to get on the ground and start talking to people, like we do every day in the streets, to understand the frustration is with the parties themselves,” Rickenmann continued. “I’ve heard more conversations in the last six months about people wanting a third party to come to the table because so many people are now hovering together in the middle because they want to see things done about common sense.”
You can watch Tuerk and Rickenmann’s full interview in the clip at the top of the page.
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