After nearly a year away from the platform, Donald Trump returned to X this week, addressing his 89 million followers with a pointed question: “Are you better off now than you were when I was president?” The message is a clear nod to Ronald Reagan’s famous line from his successful 1980 campaign, where he asked, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”

This strategy is hardly surprising, as it plays into a key focus for Trump: the economy. Polls consistently show that economic concerns, particularly inflation and job security, are top priorities for American voters. A recent poll by The Economist and YouGov highlighted that “inflation/prices” and “jobs and the economy” rank among voters’ primary worries.

Importantly, these polls also reveal widespread dissatisfaction with the current economic situation—conditions that would typically be advantageous for a presidential challenger. However, the election landscape has shifted dramatically with Kamala Harris stepping in as the Democratic candidate, replacing Joe Biden.

Trump, once appearing unbeatable after his strong performance at the Republican National Convention and overcoming an assassination attempt, now finds himself losing ground in the polls and struggling to deliver his straightforward economic message. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is generating significant excitement and enthusiasm, posing a challenge that Trump is finding difficult to counter.

To regain momentum, Trump could potentially puncture Harris’s growing popularity by reminding voters of their dissatisfaction with rising prices and holding her accountable for the inflation that has driven up the cost of living during her time alongside President Biden in the White House.