Trump comments on landlords needing to raise rents sparks criticism

Just days after claiming that he wants to protect “rich” people who are already homeowners, US president Donald Trump has claimed that landlords need to raise rents as their energy bills have gone up.

The president was reacting to news that New York mayor Zohran Mamdani is poised to deliver on a key campaign promise to freeze rents, a move expected to impact approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments across the city.

Trump took issue with the latest development, suggesting that landlords would need to raise rents as energy prices have gone up.

“Mayor Mamdani, who came to the White House and seems like a nice guy… he said he was going to do this in his campaign and no-one thought he was serious,” Trump said.

“He said he was going to make sure that people don’t have a rent increase, even though energy went up.”

The comments sparked reaction on social media, especially given the latest developments with the bipartisan housing bill that was cancelled at the last minute.

"I would get banned if I tweeted what I want to right now," one user wrote.

"Man of the people Hero of the working class," another sarcastically wrote.

"Americans: 'the rent is too damn high.'

"Trump: 'raise the rent,'" another said.

Housing has been a key issue this week, after Trump explained why he did not go ahead with planned signing of a bipartisan housing bill and it earned him the nickname “Slumlord in Chief” by critics.

On Wednesday (24 June), Trump surprised even his own party after abruptly cancelling the signing ceremony for a bipartisan affordable housing bill that it was hoped would make it easier for Americans to own their own homes.

It was a bill being proudly touted by Trump’s own White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as among the “most significant pieces of housing affordability legislation” in the country’s history – and yet, it remains unsigned.

“I said I’m not signing the housing bill,” Trump told reporters. “I made billions of dollars with housing. I know housing better than anybody maybe anywhere. It’s all about the interest rate. Lower the interest rates, you can have all the housing you want.

“You have to understand, I don’t want to hurt people that own houses either. These people, for the first time in their lives, they have valuable houses. They become rich. I don’t want to hurt them either.”

Why not read…

• 'Slumlord in chief': Trump slammed over reason why he failed to sign housing bill
• 19 times Trump has seemingly 'fallen asleep' in his second term

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