KNIGHTDALE — National Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley outlined former President Donald Trump’s economic plan in front of a crowd at Prime Barbecue in Knightdale last Friday.
The event in Wake County followed Trump’s rally in Asheville earlier in the week where he announced that under his leadership, the U.S. “will commit to the ambitious goal of slashing energy and electricity prices by half, at least. We intend to slash prices by half within 12 months, at a maximum 18 months.”
Joining Whatley at the event were NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons and Prime Barbecue owner Fred Von Canon.
The restaurant’s assistant general manager, Sam Floyd also spoke, endorsing Trump’s no tax on tips plan, saying it would “put money in their pockets.” Floyd described the financial strain his family was experiencing paying their bills under the current administration with two young children in the house and grocery costs “going through the roof.”
Simmons opened formal remarks by stating Trump’s economic policies will “lower taxes, reduce regulations and to be able to spur economic development by unleashing America’s energy independence.” He characterized the plan of Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris, as “more regulations, more taxes and controlling prices — Soviet-style policies.”
Whatley — who served as North Carolina Republican Party chairman before being tapped by Trump to serve as chairman of the RNC — started out describing the dangers of conflicts in the Middle East and recent aggressive activity by China and Russia, saying, “We are on the verge of World War III.”
“We are seeing hostilities in the Middle East that did not exist when Donald Trump was in office,” he said.
Whatley also said the FBI has warned of terror concerns tied to the illegal migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border, pinning them on “border czar” Harris.
“The No. 1 issue,” Whatley said, “is the economy. It’s inflation,” adding inflation is up an “aggregate of 20% over the course of the last four years”
Whatley said Harris, as vice president to Joe Biden, is responsible for inflationary spending and its impact on businesses and families. He highlighted Trump’s no tax on tips proposal and a plan to remove taxes from Social Security to help seniors.
Harris has mirrored Trump’s call for eliminating taxes on service workers’ gratuities.
“Look, I think what we have seen from Kamala Harris on any number of different issues is trying to walk back the radical positions that she has had over the course of her political career,” Whatley said.
“Now that she’s in the middle of an election cycle, all of a sudden, she’s starting to change her positions on a number of these issues. I think the real question is, one, do you believe that you have been wrong on every single signature issue over the course of the last four years regarding the American people? Or two, are you just trying to pander because it’s an election cycle that’s coming up?”
Whatley said the key to “return to fiscal sanity here in America” includes an extension of the Trump tax cuts and ramping up of U.S. energy production. He then criticized Harris’ plan as “absolutely misguided.”
“The fact is, she was the tiebreaker vote on the two spending packages that unleashed $2.5 trillion worth of inflationary federal spending on this economy,” said Whatley.
“Even Joe Biden said (last Thursday) she has been at the table and was part of every one of these decision-makings for the disastrous economic decisions that have come out of this administration,” said Whatley.
Whatley said Trump’s plan to bring down energy costs “is very simple” and would open up energy production not just for the U.S. but “around the world.”
During his speech in Asheville, Trump touted ending the “Biden-Harris war on American energy” as a way to bring down the cost of living.
Whatley said opening up gas and oil leases is “certainly a factor” in those efforts.
“Natural gas prices are going to continue to be a huge factor,” said Whatley. “And we’re going to need to open up pipelines to make sure that we’re getting product from the fields to the markets in the most expedient, responsible way.”
The GOP chairman dismissed the idea Trump needed to change his messaging based on the recent poll bump for Harris after naming her running mate pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“Well, it’s hardly a surprise that Kamala Harris has seen a little bit of an uptick in the polls compared to where Joe Biden was,” said Whatley, adding that the conversation will flip back to “who is delivering a better platform and better policies for every American family.”
Whatley also criticized Harris’ plans to offer $25,000 to first-time homebuyers for down payments and $40 billion in taxpayer funds to local government to expand housing options.
“We need to bring inflation down; we need to bring interest rates down and people will be able to go back to affording their homes,” Whatley said.
Trump was scheduled to return to North Carolina on Wednesday with a campaign stop in Asheboro, his third visit to the state in the last month.
