Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants to sit down with President Donald Trump during his Wednesday visit to San Antonio to discuss the affordability crisis.
On Monday, Jones officially requested a meeting with Trump before his rally at Freeman Coliseum to discuss topics including the local effects of his Iran war, trade wars and tariffs, in addition to the controversial White House plan to open an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility on the East Side.
“San Antonio is the third-most impoverished big city in the country, so it’s not surprising that federal policies causing high gas prices and high grocery bills would disproportionately impact our community — all while aggressive ICE enforcement activities instill fear in our communities, drive up labor costs and threaten property tax values on the East Side if the ICE processing facility is built,” Jones, a Democrat, said in a statement. “As Military City USA, we are also closely tracking the Iran War and its strain on operational readiness and military families, as it also drives gas prices in our community to nearly $3.70.”
In her statement, Jones said she also wants to talk to Trump about his planned cuts to Medicare and the brisk expansion of data centers across Texas.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to the Current’s request for comment on whether Trump plans to accept Jones’ invitation.
Trump will be in San Antonio to stump for U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton and congressional candidate Carlos De La Cruz, both Republicans.
At least two protests are planned outside of the Freeman Coliseum rally.
Trump lost Bexar County by 9 points during the 2024 election, and his favorability rating continues to hit new lows as Americans sour on the economy.
The president received a 26% approval rating on the economy in an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research poll of 2,140 U.S. adults taken Sept. 24-28. Just 17% approve of his handling of the cost of living, and 65% blame him for high costs.
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