Trump was supposed to talk about the economy. Instead he asked why toiletries are locked up in pharmacies | Fortune

Trump began a midterm message in New York but shifted to topics including voter identification, crime in cities, transgender women in sports, and criticism of Democrats. He also complained about locked toiletries in pharmacies and asked the audience what to call his predecessor, Joe Biden. He returned to the economy by saying he and Republicans cut taxes to increase take-home pay, while Democrats opposed the tax cuts. At Rockland Community College, he listed provisions and said Democrats voted against each one. He appeared with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler to promote the tax law he signed, emphasizing the quadrupling of the state and local tax deduction for high-tax New York.

"Eventually, he landed on the topic of the speech, telling the crowd that he and his party worked to slash taxes and increase take-home pay, while Democrats opposed the effort at every turn. "I cut your taxes, cut the taxes on workers, families, small business, who are the soul of this state," Trump said to the audience at Rockland Community College. Listing off the various provisions of the tax law, the president said: "These are all Republican tax cuts. The Democrats voted against every one of these tax cuts.""

"But he veered off-topic right from the start, going off on tangents about voter identification, crime in cities, transgender women in sports and "Dumocrats," his new chosen moniker for the opposition party. He complained that toiletries are locked up in pharmacies, making them harder to buy, and polled the audience on what he should call his predecessor, former President Joe Biden."

"Trump traveled to the Hudson Valley area to appear with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in what will be one of the most closely watched House races this November, for an event meant to promote the tax law Trump signed last year, particularly the quadrupling of the deduction for state and local taxes, which is critical in a high-tax state like New York."

"He pulled Lawler onstage during the event, and the congressman thanked the president "for working with me to deliver a big win" for the people in his district. He said that more than 90% of the people in his district were able to fully deduct their state and local taxes."

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