Greg Abbott was asked to grade Trump on prices multiple times during a recent interview. He dodged each time: ‘They vote to defund the police’

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appeared in a recent interview with ABC News’s Jon Karl, who pressed him several times to assign a grade to President Donald Trump on the issue of keeping prices down. Karl framed the questions around a central theme from the previous campaign cycle.

Karl stated, “I’m asking you about what Trump is doing,” and then asked specifically, “What grade would you give him on keeping prices down?” Abbott responded by shifting the focus. He said people on the campaign trail were not talking to him about Trump; instead, they discussed the contrast between Republicans and Democrats in Texas.

Abbott continued by noting that everyone wants lower oil prices and lower costs at the pump. He described his own campaign platform as the most robust effort to improve affordability in Texas, covering housing costs, health care costs, auto insurance costs, and property taxes. He stated that these solutions have nothing to do with what is happening in Washington, D.C.

Abbott redirects repeated grade questions to Texas issues and Democratic records

Karl asked again, “So what grade would you give him?” Abbott replied, “It depends on on what category you’re talking about.” When Karl clarified that the question concerned keeping prices low, Abbott said, “Well, listen, we all need to have prices lowered, especially at the price at the pump. And I think the president is on a track to get us there.” 

Abbott expressed optimism about the president’s track on prices, as Trump recently said he loves the inflation after looking at figures showing a significant monthly rise.  Karl then raised an earlier statement from Abbott that the price of gas in Texas would fall below $2 by the end of the summer. 

Karl noted that the average price stood at $3.60 a gallon in Texas and that more than half of August had already passed. He asked whether voters would punish Abbott and other Republicans if the prediction did not hold. Abbott’s prediction about gas prices comes as the broader debate over fuel costs has drawn attention from former President Trump. 

Abbott answered that voters in November would choose based on the broader contrast between Republican and Democrat candidates. He said the decision involves more than a single price point. Karl pressed further, saying, “Yeah, but you said it was going to be below $2.” Abbott replied, “I get it,” before turning to a different topic.

Abbott then stated that he wants “safe communities, whereas our opponents, they vote to defund the police.” The exchange, as reported from the ABC News interview, showed Abbott returning to state-level themes and differences with Democrats rather than providing a numerical grade on Trump’s handling of prices.

Throughout the interview segment, Abbott emphasized efforts underway in Texas to address the cost of living. He pointed to lower housing expenses, reduced health care bills, lower auto insurance rates, and cuts to property taxes as concrete steps available to residents. These points, he indicated, form the core of the choice facing Texas voters.