Vice President JD Vance touted the Trump administration’s economic record at an address in the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, highlighting jobs numbers and easing inflation, even as polls suggest a majority of Americans remain unsatisfied with the state of the U.S. economy. Vance, speaking before a cro wd of hundreds at the ULine warehouse facility outside Alburtis, in Lower Macungie Township, promised that the golden age of the United States is “on the horizon,” citing President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut taxes and crack down on immigration. Hundreds of supporters filled impromptu folding chairs and stood in a fenced-off area amid the stacked cardboard boxes that filled ULine’s 926,000-square-foot packing facility, which opened in 2022. Vance and other GOP officials who spoke before him lauded provisions of Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which extended $4.5 trillion in tax cuts that were set to expire and added new cuts, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, social security and car loan interest. The law broadly cuts taxes for nearly all Americans, although the wealthiest are expected to benefit the most. Vance placed blame for high inflation and stagnant job growth on Joe Biden and other Democrats, and made the case that Trump has presented a solution to the economy. “When I hear the Democrats talk about the affordability crisis that they created, it’s a little bit like Charles Manson criticizing violent crime. Look in the mirror, my friend,” Vance said. “You are the cause of the problem, and Donald J. Trump’s administration is the solution to the problem you created.” He touted the most recent jobs report, which saw 64,000 private sector jobs added in November, though the country lost 105,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate also rose slightly to 4.6%, its highest since 2021. The jobs lost in October were largely attributed to the layoffs of thousands of federal workers at the end of September, which Vance said was a positive example of the administration cutting down on bureaucracy. Vance’s visit comes as a majority of Americans say they are unsatisfied with the economy; according to an AP poll, just 31% of adults surveyed are satisfied with Trump’s economic leadership. Asked by a reporter whether he thought that affordability could be a “liability” for Republicans during the 2026 midterm election, Vance said he thinks voters will understand that it will take time for Americans to feel the effects of their economic policies. “I feel very confident that if we keep wages high, we keep energy prices low, we keep on chipping away at the affordability crisis created by Joe Biden’s administration, yes, I believe the American people are going to reward us because the American people are smart,” Vance said. “They know Rome wasn’t built in a day. They know what Joe Biden broke is not going to get fixed in a week.” Vance also agreed with Trump’s assessment in an interview last week that the US economy deserves a grade of “A+++,” he told the audience. Vance was joined by Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents the Lehigh Valley’s seat in Congress, and U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who gave remarks prior to Vance’s address. “This is what happens when you have a Congress and an administration that puts America first,” Mackenzie said. “When we put workers, families, and small businesses first, we know that we can succeed. This is the alternative to the last administration that was America last, funding their special interests, and making sure that nobody could actually get ahead.” Susan Cowell, a retired teacher from Bangor, Northampton County, who attended Vance’s address Tuesday morning, said that more Americans should “trust” that the Trump administration will address lingering economic issues like high grocery prices. “The economy is fine, this guy knows what he’s doing. Trust the man,” Cowell said. “Everything the man is doing, he’s lowering taxes, he’s giving us rebates of money that’s really ours. He’s attacking the people who are ripping America off.” Around four miles away, a group of 30 protesters stood with signs protesting Vance and the Trump administration. “YOUR ECONOMY SUCKS” and “HIGH PRICES ARE REAL” were written on some of their signs. Brooke McDermitt, the head organizer of Indivisible Lehigh Valley, a left-leaning organizing that helped organize the protest, said it is hard to claim inflation is a hoax when everyone can see the prices at the register. “They know that prices aren’t going down,” she said. The rate of inflation in the United States is 3%, higher than a low of 2.3% earlier this year but far below rates of inflation in 2021, which saw rates climb as high as 7%. This story will be updated.  ...read more read less