Consumers reportedly placed fewer orders on Black Friday, yet another indication that consumer confidence is down. Despite the decrease, sales hit record highs, thanks in part to inflation and increased use of credit, including “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) programs. But the White House sees “good news” in the numbers.

“Although U.S. consumers spent more this Black Friday compared to last year,” Reuters reported, “price increases hampered online demand, according to Salesforce, with shoppers purchasing fewer items at checkout compared to last year.”

Newsweek, citing data from Salesforce published by Forbes, reported that “order volume fell by about 1 percent year over year, while average selling prices were up 7 percent—indicating that much of the growth was caused by inflation rather than any uptick in shopping enthusiasm.”

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Overall, the “underlying details about spending patterns suggest this may not have been the economic boon the administration believes.”

According to Politico, “White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Sunday that record Black Friday sales underscore the administration’s optimism on economic growth despite concerns around tariffs and inflation.”

Hassett cited Black Friday’s sales numbers “as a sign of economic resilience,” Politico added.

“The good news around Thanksgiving is the sign of something that’s stronger to come,” Hassett said on Sunday. “I think the reason is that incomes are up this year is, we had a great jobs report, and with strong income and the government shutdown over so that people have pent-up demand as well, I think that we’re looking at a great recovery from a weak few weeks because of the shutdown.”

The jobless rate increased to 4.4%, the highest it’s been in almost four years.

Meanwhile, BNPL programs, including those from Klarna and Affirm, were forecast to account for over $760 million in Black Friday spending, Newsweek noted, citing data from Adobe. Overall, for November and December, use of those programs is expected to increase by 11 percent from last year.

CNN over the weekend called BNPL programs “an important payment option for consumers this holiday season.”

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Image via Reuters

Congressional Republicans appear to have no clear idea of what President Donald Trump wants to fix the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which expire on December 31. Millions of Americans are expected to see their health care costs skyrocket as of January 1 — or lose coverage altogether — yet the president has sent conflicting messages on what plan, if any, he would sign, leaving Republicans competing to create plans Trump may or may not support.

“Republicans and Democrats agree success hangs on one question: Will President Donald Trump figure out what he wants?” Politico reported on Monday.

Last week, Trump signaled he wanted an extension of the Obamacare subsidies, and was preparing to announce his plan until Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reportedly intervened, saying many of his members would not support extending the subsidies. House Republicans also felt “left out” that they were not consulted before the President arrived at a decision.

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“In his only comments on the matter, Trump injected more uncertainty last week, saying he doesn’t want to extend the subsidies but understands it might be necessary,” Politico also noted, reporting on Trump’s “mixed signals.”

“Capitol Hill factions are trying to figure out what Trump wants and how to entice him to their side,” Politico reported — and added that even though the deadline is month’s end, some Republicans are more focused on January 30, “the next shutdown deadline, as the real cutoff for a health care deal.”

Some centrists and bipartisan collections of Senators and members of Congress are looking at proposals to extend the subsidies, while more far-right Republicans want no extensions, but rather, a plan for the government to help fund individual health care savings accounts. Those funds, after legislative fixes, might be able to be used to help pay monthly health care premiums and other health care costs.

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But, as The Washington Post reported last week, “health economists say the vast majority of these individual accounts — already used by tens of millions of Americans — do not contain sufficient money to pay for serious health expenses. Even boosting them with new federal contributions would not build enough reserves to pay for expensive care for an emergency or major illness if needed, they say.”

“There’s widespread skepticism that Republicans will agree to any plan that isn’t fully endorsed by Trump,” Politico added. “A significant swath of GOP lawmakers will simply never vote to extend anything related to Obamacare, according to three GOP aides granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics.”

Meanwhile, PBS News last week reported that Speaker Johnson “has declined to say whether he will allow a vote on a health care bill. Many other members of his GOP conference want to see the subsidies eliminated or the underlying law overhauled.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, “and other Republicans have said they want new language on abortion restrictions if they pass an extension — a dealbreaker for Democrats.”

After the White House scrubbed last week’s expected announcement that the president wanted a two-year extension of health care subsidies, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote, “Yet another delay while Republicans wait to see if a health care plan will fall from the sky.”

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President Donald Trump continues to tease out a possible 2028 run, despite the constitutional prohibition on a third term. On Friday, the 79-year old unveiled a new “slogan,” and his new name for Trump Republican voters.

Trump has acknowledged the constitutional block on a third term, recently telling reporters that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a constitutional attorney, told him a third term is not allowed — a fact he appeared to accept.

But Trump on Friday afternoon posted an AI meme of a silver-haired, older-looking Donald Trump, holding a campaign sign that reads — not “Make America Great Again” — but, “Trump 2028, Yes!”

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The post, on his Truth Social website, also says, “Trumplicans!”

“There is a new word for a TRUMP REPUBLICAN, which is almost everyone,” he recently wrote. “It is, TEPUBLICAN??? Or, TPUBLICAN???”

Apparently, “Trumplicans” won out.

Health care activist Melanie D’Arrigo remarked on Wednesday that “Trump is workshopping names for his cult, while Americans struggle to afford the rising costs of groceries, healthcare and housing.”

Reporting on Trump’s musings, TIME on Thursday noted that his new MAGA moniker comes “amid high-profile divisions within the MAGA base.”

Were Trump to run for a third term, he would be 82 on Election Day in 2028.

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Image via Reuters