Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has predicted the US will end the year “with 3% real GDP growth” — as President Trump prepares a national tour to tout his economic successes before the 2026 midterms. “We inherited a mess,” Trump said at the White House on Monday, the day before he is set to visit a casino in the key swing state of Pennsylvania to discuss how his administration’s policies have helped lower prices through a mix of deregulatory moves and key investments in the energy and AI industries. “But Democrats caused the affordability problem. … They caused it — we’re fixing it,” added Trump, who is expected to hit more states during his messaging tour in January.