Vice President JD Vance took to social media this week to slam former President Joe Biden’s economic record and defend President Donald Trump’s recent claims that the economy is back on track for working Americans.
“Joe Biden’s insane policies left American families unable to afford a decent living in their own country,” Vance posted on X.
“Through tax cuts, better paying jobs, and investment in American industry, President Trump is making America affordable again for working families one step at a time.”
Vance’s post included a video clip of Trump delivering remarks at a recent rally where he touted wage gains under his administration and criticized Biden for falling real wages.
“Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000 a year,” Trump said. “Under Trump, the typical factory worker has already seen their wages increase by more than $1,300, and that’s in just a few months. And for construction workers, it’s $1,800 up versus $3,500 down.”
He added, “For miners, their wages went up $3,300.” Trump then praised the work ethic of miners, saying, “They’d rather go 10,000 feet underground and dig. That’s what they want.”
Sanders Fires Back
The Trump campaign’s framing of the economy as an “A+++++” success drew criticism from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who posted a sharp response to the same clip.
“Trump says this is an A+++++ economy. God help us if we ever get to a B or a C,” Sanders wrote.
Speaking later in a CNN interview with Kaitlan Collins, Sanders expanded on his comments: “If this is an A+ plus plus economy, God help us if we ever get to A, B or C.”
Sanders argued that Americans are still struggling with high costs and that Trump’s message is disconnected from what people experience daily.
“Right now all over this country, people are getting insurance notices that their premiums for the ACA are going to double, in some cases triple or quadruple,” he said. “Trump can lie all that he wants, but when people walk into a grocery store, they see the outrageous prices they’re now paying.”
Sanders continued, “When housing costs all over this country are going up, when kids can’t afford to go to college,” it’s hard to call this an economic success. He cited data suggesting nearly 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
Health Care at the Center
One of Sanders’ biggest concerns is the potential expiration of premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. He warned that without Congressional action, millions could face drastic increases in health insurance costs.
He gave an example from his home state: “If you are 62 years of age, you and your wife in southern Vermont, and you’re making $80,000 a year, you’re not going to see a doubling in your premiums. You’re going to see a tripling or quadrupling.”
Sanders called the current U.S. health care model a “disaster” that benefits insurance and pharmaceutical companies while burdening working families. “40% of people diagnosed with cancer will go bankrupt or deplete their savings. This is an insane, disgraceful health care system.”
He again advocated for Medicare for All and said expanding coverage to include dental, vision, and hearing is a necessary step forward.
JD Vance and Sanders’ Surprise Exchange
In the same CNN interview, Sanders also responded to recent comments by Vice President JD Vance, who had praised him and alluded to a private conversation they had early in Vance’s Senate tenure.
Vance claimed Sanders had offered a remark that summarized his own political views but was too risky to say publicly.
Sanders dismissed the idea that it was anything major. “Not quite as dramatic as I think he is making it out to be. He dropped into the office early on. We had a nice chat. But I do not believe that I said anything which was quite as earth-shattering as he suggests.”
While both Vance and Sanders have criticized aspects of the U.S. health care system, Sanders said the solutions Republicans are offering fall short.
“He’s talking about giving people $1,000 to $2,000,” Sanders said of Trump-backed proposals.
“Well, you know, if you end up in a hospital, you’re going to spend several hundred thousand dollars.”
Competing Visions of Affordability
The exchange between Vance and Sanders highlights a growing divide over what economic recovery looks like. Trump and his allies argue that targeted tax cuts, rising wages, and deregulation are putting more money in people’s pockets.
Critics like Sanders argue that the benefits are skewed toward the wealthy, while working families face steep costs for health care, housing, and education.
“He hangs out with his billionaire friends all of the time,” Sanders said of Trump.
“And I gotta admit, for his billionaire friends, he is, in fact, an A-plus president. They are getting richer and richer while tens of millions of Americans struggle to put food on the table.”
With the 2026 elections approaching, both sides appear eager to define the economic narrative, and affordability for working families may be at the heart of it.
IMAGE CREDIT: “J.D. Vance” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.