In response to Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper’s comments, DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta released the following statement:

“With Donald Trump in the White House, Republicans are not wasting a second to sell out working people for their billionaire donors. Republicans don’t believe Americans deserve a livable wage. Jesse Topper said it loud and clear. Prices are skyrocketing and the economy is in turmoil, but Republicans in Washington, D.C. are busy pushing for another round of tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy while taking money out of the pockets of families who need health care and food. Instead of standing up to Trump, the Pennsylvania GOP is enabling him to make life less affordable for working families while lining the pockets of the rich.” 

WATCH: The election-denying MAGA Republican leader of the Pennsylvania House, Jesse Topper, said not every American should earn a livable wage. 

Jesse Topper: “Not every wage, and please hear me clearly on this, not every wage is designed to be a livable wage.”  

REMINDER: Donald Trump and his billionaire Cabinet have fought against raising the minimum wage — with Trump even claiming a higher federal minimum wage “wouldn’t work.” 

Donald Trump: “Let me give you the downside, though, in California, they raised it up to a very high number, and your restaurants are going out of business all over the place. The population is shrinking. It’s had a very negative impact. … You have a lot of businesses that are open and thriving because of the lower minimum wage. … So it would be nice to have just a minimum wage for the whole country, but it wouldn’t work.” 

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Will you work with those of us who want to raise the federal minimum wage to a living wage to take millions of Americans out of poverty?”

Scott Bessent: “I believe that the minimum wage is more of a statewide and regional issue.”

Sen. Sanders: “So you don’t think we should change the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour?”

Scott Bessent: “No, sir.”

Center for American Progress: “Trump Just Cut the Minimum Wage for Hundreds of Thousands of Private Sector Workers” 

Americans are already cutting back spending and struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries — all while bracing for an “uncomfortable” summer of even higher prices.  

Time Magazine: “Canned foods, cars, houses, and a range of other goods could soon get more expensive as businesses face a newly doubled tariff rate of 50% for steel and aluminum imports.” 

New York Times: “Nearly a quarter of consumers using buy now, pay later loans finance groceries, up from 14 percent a year ago. …  

“[P]ay later plans for day-to-day essentials is a troubling sign that more consumers are financially stressed. … 

“Food prices are 28 percent higher than they were in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” 

Wall Street Journal: “The U.S. Economy Is Headed Toward an Uncomfortable Summer” 

“Businesses are warning that constantly shifting trade policies are interfering with their ability to plan for the future, leading to hiring and investment freezes.” 

Wall Street Journal: “On average, Americans should count on their electricity bills in June, July and August rising 4% from last year …  

“That would bring the nationwide summertime average to $186 a month, up from $180 last year and $148 four years ago, the [Energy Information Administration] said.” 

NBC News: “Some Americans are shifting their summer plans to avoid tariff price hikes”

The Washington Post: “Americans watching the turmoil with tariffs have begun pulling back on spending, as President Donald Trump’s trade war continues to stir up economic uncertainty. Consumer spending growth slowed significantly in the first three months of the year, to 1.2 percent from 4 percent a quarter earlier, according to newly revised gross domestic product data released Thursday.” 

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