For a fact-check of major statements by Trump, see Fact-Check: Major Claims from Trump’s Mount Pocono Rally. Assistance from Claude AI.
Summary
President Donald Trump held a political rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania on December 9, 2025, highlighting what he characterized as unprecedented economic achievements in his first ten months back in office, including claims of $18 trillion in new investments, 51 stock market record highs, and complete border closure to illegal immigration. Trump promoted his tax cut agenda featuring no taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits, announced new “Trump accounts” providing $1,000 investment accounts for every newborn American, and detailed energy policies centered on increased oil and gas drilling while criticizing renewable energy. The President used the rally to attack Democratic policies on immigration and transgender issues, spotlight a recent Washington DC shooting involving National Guard members, and preview Republican messaging for the 2026 midterm elections while flanked by Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation and cabinet members including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Participants
- Donald J. Trump – President of the United States
- David McCormick – United States Senator from Pennsylvania
- Scott Bessent – Secretary of the Treasury
- Chris Wright – Secretary of Energy
- Doug Burgum – Secretary of the Interior
- Susie Wiles – White House Chief of Staff
- Karoline Leavitt – White House Press Secretary
- Brooke Rollins – Secretary of Agriculture
- Pete Hegseth – Secretary of Defense
- General Razin Caine – Military official
- Rob Bresnahan – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Ryan McKenzie – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Dan Meuser – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Ross – Presidential speechwriter
- Donna Zajac – Waitress from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania (45 years experience)
- Sean Downey – Firefighter, first responder, Marine Corps veteran
- Megan Nemhauser – Resident of Cresco, Pennsylvania (bartender/waitress, homeschool parent)
Detailed Rally Analysis by Topic
Opening Remarks and Crowd Acknowledgment
Trump opened the rally by acknowledging the large crowd, including supporters who had been waiting outside in freezing temperatures since early morning. He joked about whether anyone inside would give up their seat for those waiting in the cold, drawing laughter from the audience. The President expressed pride in being “a proud patriot” alongside the Pennsylvania attendees.
Trump referenced this as his return to campaigning after winning the 2024 election, explaining that Chief of Staff Susie Wiles had urged him to begin campaigning for the 2026 midterm elections despite his initial reluctance. He humorously referred to Wiles as “Susie Trump” and noted that Native Americans had complained about the traditional title “chief of staff.”
Investment and Economic Achievement Claims
The President made sweeping claims about economic performance under his administration. Trump stated: “It’s 10 months and already we have the largest investment ever made in the history of not our country, of any country anywhere in the world.” He later specified this figure as approximately $18 trillion in new investments, stating “Are we over 18, right around $18 trillion. We could hit $20 trillion in the first year.”
For context, Trump compared this to what he characterized as less than $1 trillion in investments secured during the four years of the Biden administration. He attributed this investment surge primarily to his tariff policies, arguing that companies are building plants in America to avoid paying tariffs on imported goods.
Trump claimed the stock market had set “51 all-time record highs” in less than ten months, describing this as unprecedented: “There’s never been anything like that. Bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom.”
Pennsylvania-Specific Economic Impact
The President cited specific Pennsylvania employment figures, claiming his administration had created “nearly 60,000 new Pennsylvania jobs, including 4,000 Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs that the Democrats gave up on.” He also stated that “more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians have been lifted off of food stamps.”
Trump highlighted his role in saving U.S. Steel, stating: “We saved a great American company. You know, we saved this little group of people, and me, saved a little company called US Steel.” He explained that he prevented the company from being sold to foreign interests and ensured the steel mills would remain in Pennsylvania, noting: “They said, what happens if it moves to Japan? I said, you can’t move a steel mill to Japan. You can move a headquarters, but the steel mill stays here.”
Tariff Policy Defense
Trump devoted substantial time to defending his tariff strategy, calling tariffs his “favorite word” and explaining how he had adjusted this messaging after media criticism. He recounted: “Remember when I started, in 2015 I made my first speech and I said we’re going to bring back Christmas… My favorite word is the word tariff. I love it more than any other word in the dictionary. And the fake news said that’s terrible. What about God? What about family?”
The President claimed tariffs were generating “hundreds of billions of dollars, really trillions” in revenue. He explained that some of these funds had been used to provide $12 billion in aid to American farmers affected by trade negotiations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was present as Trump made these claims, with Trump asking him to confirm the figures. Trump argued that European leaders were now recognizing the effectiveness of his tariff approach, stating: “Did you see where Europe now is saying, I think we’ve got to start doing what Trump is doing.”
Energy Policy and Personnel
The President extensively promoted his energy agenda centered on increased oil and gas production. He introduced Energy Secretary Chris Wright, calling him “the greatest oil man in the world” and explaining how he came to appoint him. Trump recounted that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had originally been considered for the energy position but recommended Wright instead.
Trump claimed: “We’re right now drilling more oil than we’ve ever done ever before. Prices are way down. We just had four states — it was just reported that four states had $1.99 a gallon.” He emphasized that energy production was at historic highs, stating: “We are right now involved in more energy and have more energy in the works by far than we’ve ever had before.”
The President criticized renewable energy, particularly wind power, arguing: “Wind is the worst. It’s a big — it’s a big — that’s a scam. They ruin your valleys. They ruin your peaks.” He claimed that windmills were mostly made in China but that China itself had few wind farms “because they’re smart.”
Trump promoted what he called “clean, beautiful coal,” explaining that his administration was instructed to always use those adjectives when mentioning coal “because coal needs a little public relations help.”
Saudi Arabia and Middle East Relations
Trump described meetings with Middle Eastern leaders, particularly the King of Saudi Arabia, who he claimed told him: “Sir, one year ago you were a dead country — dead. They were focusing on China, they were looking for, you know, who’s next in line frankly.”
The President claimed to have brought back “$4 trillion” from trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, along with orders for “250 Boeing jets.” He defended these foreign trips against critics who suggested he should focus on domestic issues, asking: “What the hell do you think I’m doing?”
Inflation, Prices, and Economic Comparisons
Trump presented several charts comparing price changes under his administration versus the Biden administration. He claimed food prices were coming down significantly, citing specific examples:
- Eggs: Down 80 percent since March, with Trump explaining: “Remember the first three days. I just got there… They said, sir, the price of eggs is quadrupled.”
- Thanksgiving turkeys: Down 33 percent compared to the Biden era
- Overall food prices showing decreases across multiple categories
The President claimed real wages had fallen by $3,000 per year under Biden but had increased by $1,300 for factory workers, $1,800 for construction workers, and $3,300 for miners under his administration.
Trump criticized what he called the “affordability hoax,” arguing that Democrats were using the term “affordability” to obscure the fact that his policies were bringing prices down from the historic highs reached during the Biden administration.
Federal Reserve Criticism
In what Trump characterized as “breaking news,” he suggested that Biden-appointed Federal Reserve commissioners might not have been properly authorized, raising questions about whether Biden personally signed their commissions or whether an “autopen” was used.
Trump called Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell “too-late Powell” and “a bad guy,” criticizing him for being slow to lower interest rates. He stated: “We have a bad head of the fed, bad. We’re going to be making a change. Fortunately, this guy’s out.”
The President referenced comments from JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon calling for rate cuts, suggesting Powell was incompetent for not acting sooner.
Tax Cut Agenda
Trump detailed his tax cut proposals, emphasizing three main components that he said would take effect January 1st:
No Tax on Tips: Trump introduced Donna Zajac, a waitress from Stroudsburg with 45 years of experience, who he said would save “hundreds of additional dollars every single month” from this policy. Zajac planned to use the savings for her daughter’s veterinary school tuition.
No Tax on Overtime: The President highlighted Sean Downey, a Marine Corps veteran working as a firefighter who worked over 400 hours of overtime. Trump said Downey would “take home thousands of dollars extra” to buy his first home. He also introduced Megan Nemhauser, whose husband operates heavy equipment with 10-15 hours of weekly overtime while she bartends and homeschools their children.
No Tax on Social Security: Trump promised this benefit for seniors, describing it as part of “the largest tax cuts in American history.”
Both Zajac and Nemhauser joined Trump on stage to speak briefly about how these policies would benefit their families.
Trump Accounts Program
The President announced a new program called “Trump accounts,” describing it as “an investment savings account for every single newborn American child with $1,000 to be invested and grow over the course of their life right at the beginning of birth.”
Trump explained that friends, family, and employers could contribute “thousands of dollars a year” to these accounts, calling it “like a trust fund for every American child.” He credited Michael Dell of Dell Computer with helping launch the program, stating Dell had contributed $6.25 billion: “He started with nothing. Think of that and he just put that up, 6,250,000,000.”
Trump noted that “every single Democrat in Congress voted against these unbelievable benefits for American families,” expressing confusion about why anyone would oppose the program.
Healthcare and Obamacare Criticism
Trump attacked the Affordable Care Act, calling it “a scam” designed primarily to enrich insurance companies. He claimed: “Under Obamacare, trillions of dollars were given directly to health insurance companies. Their stocks are up 1,700 percent in a very short period of time.”
The President proposed redirecting healthcare subsidies from insurance companies directly to individuals, stating: “I want to give all of that money we give to the big, fat, rich insurance companies and I want to give them nothing… We want you to go out and buy your own health insurance and you’ll get much better health insurance at a much lower cost.”
Trump acknowledged this would face Democratic opposition due to insurance industry influence but framed it as giving people more choice and control over their healthcare spending.
Border Security and Immigration
The President claimed complete success in closing the border, stating: “For seven months in a row, we’ve had zero illegal aliens that have been admitted to the United States.” He contrasted this with Biden’s approach, arguing Biden had claimed he needed legislation to secure the border: “And I said, no, all you need is a new president. I didn’t get legislation… I said close the fricking border right now and they did it.”
Trump claimed 25 million people had entered during the Biden administration and criticized the humanitarian impact of migration, describing dangerous journeys through jungles where migrants face violence, rape, snakes, and crocodiles. He argued his policies actually helped potential migrants by discouraging them from making these dangerous journeys.
The President announced “a permanent pause on Third World migration, including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries.” He defended his 2018 “shithole countries” comment, explaining it was made in what was supposed to be a private, off-the-record meeting with senators.
Somalia and Minnesota Fraud Allegations
Trump spent considerable time attacking Representative Ilhan Omar and making unsubstantiated allegations about fraud in Minnesota’s Somali community. He called Somalia “about the worst country in the world” and claimed Omar “married her brother in order to get in” to the United States, stating “therefore she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.”
The President directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to investigate what he called “the billions of dollars they have robbed from Minnesota,” referring to Somali immigrants. Trump stated there was “91 percent unemployment” among this community and called it “a scam.”
This section drew “Send her back” chants from the crowd. Trump also attacked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, calling him “one of the dumbest governors ever in history” and accusing him of enabling fraud.
Washington DC Shooting and National Guard Members
Trump provided an emotional update on the December shooting in Washington DC that killed National Guard member Sarah and critically wounded Andrew, both from West Virginia. He described speaking with Andrew’s mother, Monica, who remained optimistic throughout her son’s recovery.
Trump recounted the progression of Andrew’s condition: “She called to say, sir, he moved his finger today. This is like three days later; he moved his finger. And today I got a call that he got up from bed. Do you believe that? He got up?”
The President characterized the shooting as “an act of terrorism” and noted the attacker “came from Washington, state of Washington, came across the country and he wanted to kill people with the uniform.” Trump observed the paradox of medical teams fighting to save the shooter’s life so he could face the death penalty: “They’re fighting to save his life so that we can give him the death penalty. How crazy is that, right?”
Trump also highlighted improvements in Washington DC’s safety, claiming it was now “the safest it’s been in 52 years” with restaurants booming after a period when the city was too dangerous to walk through.
China Relations and Trade
The President described recent meetings with President Xi Jinping, attended by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senator Marco Rubio, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Trump claimed: “We made incredible deals with China. We’re getting along. Getting along is a good thing.”
He stated China was “buying literally trillions of dollars’ worth of our products” and specifically mentioned soybean purchases. Trump also referenced resolving concerns about rare earth minerals, which he said had threatened to “shut down” the global economy two months prior.
The President maintained his tough stance while emphasizing that good relations with China were strategically important: “Getting along is a good thing, not a bad thing. It’s a smart thing.”
Military Achievements and Department Renaming
Trump highlighted the renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, calling Secretary Pete Hegseth “a tough cookie” who had proven himself despite media criticism. He praised General Razin Caine for defeating ISIS “in four weeks” when it was expected to take five years.
The President claimed to have “ended eight wars” in ten months, listing: Kosovo-Serbia, Pakistan-India, Israel-Iran, Egypt-Ethiopia, Armenia-Azerbaijan, and one involving Cambodia. He noted that Thailand and Cambodia had begun fighting again but said “Tomorrow have to make a phone call and I think they’ll get it.”
Trump also claimed to have “knocked out the Iran nuclear capability,” contrasting his approach with the Carter administration’s handling of the Iranian hostage crisis.
Cultural Issues: Transgender Policy and Sports
The President repeatedly attacked Democratic positions on transgender issues, particularly in sports. He stated: “We don’t have men and women’s sports. We don’t have to sell men in women’s sports. We don’t have to sell transgender to everybody.”
Trump claimed: “We banned the chemical, surgical mutilation of children” and “stopped men from playing in women’s sports,” presenting these as necessary policies that would have seemed absurd 15 years ago.
He characterized these issues as political advantages, suggesting Republicans should let Democrats continue advocating for transgender policies because they hurt Democrats electorally: “I think transgender for all is a great, great thing for the Democrats to be talking about.”
Geographic Renamings
Trump announced he had “restored the name of a great president, William McKinley to Mount McKinley in Alaska” and “renamed the Gulf of Mexico into the Gulf of America.”
These changes were presented as part of restoring American pride and correcting what he viewed as inappropriate name changes made by previous administrations.
Job Creation and Employment Claims
The President claimed a dramatic shift in who was receiving new jobs, stating: “Before I entered office, 100 percent of all new net jobs were going to migrant workers… but since I took office 100 percent of all net job creation has gone to American citizens.”
Trump emphasized these were “government numbers, by the way. These are not Trump numbers,” attempting to give the statistics additional credibility.
He also claimed: “More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country,” using this to argue that public polling on the economy was inaccurate or biased.
Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation
Trump introduced and praised several Pennsylvania representatives who supported his legislative agenda:
Senator David McCormick: Trump extensively praised McCormick for his persistence in running twice for Senate, joking about his presence at the Butler rally where Trump was shot: “I called David. I said, David, come on up… And then I looked at him, I said, you know what, David, just stay there, I’ll get you later. You’re so lucky, David.”
Trump credited McCormick with helping secure “nearly $100 billion of investments in Pennsylvania” and praised his wife Dina, joking that “she would have left him if he lost” the second Senate race.
Representatives Rob Bresnahan, Ryan McKenzie, and Dan Meuser: Trump called these three “warriors” for their work passing what he called “the great Big, Beautiful Bill” which consolidated 17 separate bills. He praised all three for their dedication and noted Meuser had considered running for governor but Trump preferred him to remain in Congress.
Rally Atmosphere and Crowd Interactions
Throughout the rally, Trump engaged with individual audience members, including:
- Calling up Donna Zajac unexpectedly after she stood, telling her “Look how beautiful she is. You’re not allowed to say that anymore”
- Bringing Megan Nemhauser on stage and praising her for speaking without reading her prepared notes: “She never even looked at it. She was great”
- Acknowledging audience members who shouted comments, including one who said “We love you”
- Pointing out specific individuals in the crowd, including someone he said looked like “the rock”
The President frequently deviated from prepared remarks, explicitly stating: “By the way, if I read what’s on the teleprompter, you’d all be falling asleep right now.” He defended what he called “the weave” – his speaking style of connecting multiple topics: “You go here, bing, bing, bing, bing, you always have to get back to the right location.”
Closing Remarks
Trump concluded by positioning his administration’s first ten months as historic, claiming comparisons to Lincoln and Washington: “Already they are saying better than Lincoln, better than Washington, better than anybody, the best 10 months ever in the history of the presidency.”
He emphasized themes of American renewal: “After just 10 months, our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected again. And the United States is back.”
The President ended with his standard closing formula: “We will make America powerful again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America healthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again, and we will make America great again.”
Citation
Trump, Donald J. “Donald Trump Holds a Political Rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania.” Factba.se, 9 Dec. 2025, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. Rally transcript.