On Thursday, President Donald Trump traveled to Las Vegas to tout his economic policies as Americans continue to grapple with rising prices due to his war with Iran.

“After four long years of brutal inflation under Biden and congressional Democrats, you deserve every single penny that you’re getting now because you had to suffer,” he told the crowd while highlighting the tax cuts from his Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The White House pledged the cuts would increase average federal tax refunds by $1,000. But now that Tax Day has come and gone, MS NOW’s Stephanie Ruhle said the administration overpromised and underdelivered.

“For fact’s sake, as of this month, IRS actual data shows the average refund is up around $346 compared to last year,” she said, noting the increase was “just enough to cover half of the extra $776 taxpayers could spend on higher gas prices this year.”

Ruhle said the refunds were “supposed to be Trump’s ace in the hole for the midterms” to give Republicans a boost with Americans and aid in the party’s effort to maintain its majorities in the House and the Senate.

“Remember, during Covid, those stimulus checks that Donald Trump signed his name to? They had a huge positive political impact on him,” she said. “That’s not what we’re seeing here.”

Ruhle said Republicans and Trump desperately needed that boost as the White House continues to struggle to “stay on message about gas prices.”

“One day, Trump says they’re not coming down before the midterms. Another day, he says ‘Gas prices, well, they’re not very high at all,’” she said, adding, “Voters just want certainty, so they can plan their lives when it comes to the economy and their personal finances.

“Is this projecting confidence?” Ruhle asked.

You can watch Ruhle’s full analysis in the clip at the top of the page.

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From MS Now.