President Donald Trump’s Dec. 17 address from the White House has sparked backlash from across the political spectrum, including from a Fox News contributor who called one of his key announcements “dishonest” and “very uncool.”
Jessica Tarlov, a co-host on “The Five,” criticized Trump’s so-called “Warrior Dividend,” which promises a $1,776 bonus to active-duty service members.
The payment was framed by Trump as being funded by tariffs. However, Tarlov said the money is not new and is instead repackaged housing subsidies.
“He’s taking already allocated funds that were supposed to go towards housing subsidies for our troops and branding them with his 1776 Trump sticker so you get a bonus, but you lose a benefit,” Tarlov said on-air.
“It’s not coming from the tariff pot. It’s already been allocated. That is dishonest, and that is very uncool.”
Trump announced the bonus during a 19-minute speech defending his economic and immigration policies. nas clanak
“Think of this: 1,450,000 military service members will receive a special, we call ‘Warrior Dividend’ before Christmas,” Trump said.
But critics are accusing the president of misleading the public about both the source of the funds and the state of the economy.
Recycled Numbers and Economic Spin
Tarlov also took issue with the president’s economic claims, especially his framing of inflation.
She noted that the recent inflation report highlighted only falling gas prices while omitting key data points on food, rent and health care.
“It definitely was beating expectations. But if you actually looked at the data, it’s missing numbers on the key areas that are costing you more,” she said.
“So no data from October, November on food, shelter, and health care. But the gas number was in there because the gas prices are falling. So just take it with a grain of salt.”
Trump used the address to claim he had reversed the country’s economic decline and was setting the stage for a historic boom in 2026.
“Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before. We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” he said.
Real estate investor Grant Cardone echoed that optimism in a post on X, saying, “Trump is fixing US ECONOMY. 2026 set to boom. You don’t have to like him to like what he’s getting done.”
Economist Peter Schiff pushed back sharply, replying: “Only in his imagination. Apparently, you share in his delusion.”
Inflation, Investment Claims Face Scrutiny
Tarlov said Trump distorted the inflation timeline, suggesting he inherited a 9% rate from President Joe Biden.
“He acted like Joe Biden gave him 9% inflation, but Joe Biden gave him 2.9% inflation. So everything is hanging around where it was,” she said.
She also questioned Trump’s claim of securing $18 trillion in new investments, noting that some of the figures were inflated by double-counting and projections unrelated to Trump’s policies.
“I asked Grok about that, and Grok said the White House’s own tallies list totals at around $8.8 to $9.6 trillion, but they include commitments from the Biden administration, double counting, and pledges that were likely to occur regardless due to AI development,” she said.
Trump added that more drug price cuts would be coming in January through his direct-to-consumer site, TrumpRx. During the same segment, Tarlov dismissed the claim that drug prices had dropped by “600 percent.”
“You can’t bring down prices by 600 percent. Drug companies aren’t paying you to take the medication,” she said.
Critics Say Speech Felt Like a Campaign Rally
The overall tone and content of Trump’s address drew criticism beyond just the economic claims. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) mocked the speech, saying it boiled down to: “Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) called the remarks “delusional,” pointing out the disconnect between the rhetoric and everyday economic realities.
A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll showed only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while more than half believe the country is already in a recession.
Foreign policy claims were also questioned. Trump said he had “settled eight wars in 10 months” and “ended the war in Gaza,” but analysts noted that conflict and strikes continue despite the announced ceasefire.
With unemployment at 4.6%, the highest in five years, and persistent concerns over food and housing costs, critics argue the gap between Trump’s rhetoric and economic reality is widening.
And for Tarlov, rebranding a cut to military housing as a patriotic-sounding payout only made it worse: “If that is your big marketing item from all of this and you are just taking money from troops that are moving to a more expensive place and need extra money to live in San Diego so you can say that you gave them a rebate, that’s not even from that tariff pot. Uncool.”
IMAGE CREDIT: “President Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.