Letter to the White House

America's Homeowner Alliance sent the letter below to President Trump and key leaders to ask for clarification on remarks made by President Trump on January 29.

February 18, 2026

The Honorable Donald J. Trump 

President of the United States 

The White House 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20500

RE: Urgent Need to Clarify January 29, 2026, Housing Remarks

Dear Mr. President:

Recent remarks by President Trump at the January 29, 2026, Cabinet Meeting regarding housing prices have generated significant concern — not only among housing industry stakeholders, but among the very working families this Administration has championed since day one.

The quoted language — "we're going to keep those house prices up. We're not going to destroy the value of their homes so that somebody who didn't work very hard can buy a home" — is, without clarification, a gift to political opponents and a serious liability headed into the midterm cycle.

This matters because the statement directly contradicts the Administration's strongest brand asset: its credibility with working- and middle-class Americans. This President has built an extraordinary coalition by fighting for jobs, domestic manufacturing, lower prices, and economic dignity for households that Washington has long ignored. That credibility is rare and hard-won. It should not be surrendered over an unforced rhetorical statement.

Left unaddressed, the January 29 remarks will be framed — relentlessly and effectively — as proof that this Administration prioritizes wealthy homeowners over the young families, tradespeople, veterans, and first-generation buyers who form the backbone of its base. The opposition and its media allies do not need to distort the quote; they need only repeat it. The words, as spoken, do the damage on their own.

We say this not as critics but as allies who understand what this Administration is actually trying to accomplish. We applaud the work already underway to address housing affordability, and we recognize the legitimate policy concern behind the President's remarks: that poorly designed programs could flood the market, erode equity for existing homeowners, and destabilize mortgage-backed securities. That is a responsible and defensible position — but it is not what the public heard.

What the public heard is that aspiring homeowners — many of whom work grueling hours and still cannot afford a home — were dismissed as people who "didn't work very hard." That characterization is factually wrong, politically toxic, and fundamentally at odds with everything this President has stood for.

The reality is that housing affordability has been crushed by fifteen years of inventory shortages, regulatory costs that have priced small builders out of the entry-level market, and financing structures that favor large developers over the families who need homes. The average aspiring buyer today is not someone looking for a handout — they are someone who has been locked out of a broken system. This Administration knows that. It needs to say it, loudly and clearly.

We urge the Administration to issue a strong, unambiguous public clarification that:

1. Affirms the President's commitment to expanding homeownership opportunity for all working Americans, including first-time buyers, veterans, and moderate-income families.

2. Reframes the original remarks in their intended context — that sound housing policy must grow supply responsibly without destabilizing values for existing homeowners — a position that serves all market participants.

3. Commits to free-market principles that welcome initiatives to reduce regulatory barriers, support small and local builders, and expand sustainable financing options — all of which grow the homeowner base and support property values.

4. Rejects the false choice between protecting current homeowners and creating pathways for new ones. A well-supplied, well-functioning housing market serves both. History proves this. Initiatives that responsibly increase entry-level inventory strengthen — not weaken — the broader market.

Without this clarification, the January 29 statement will be the centerpiece of opposition messaging through 2026 and beyond. It will be replayed in campaign ads, cited in editorial boards, and repeated on every platform where this Administration's housing agenda is discussed. It will not fade on its own.

More importantly, it will undermine the Administration's ability to advance the very policies it believes in. Every future initiative on housing — whether deregulation, builder incentives, or financing reform — will be met with: "But the President said he wants to keep prices high and lock people out." That is a narrative this Administration cannot afford and does not deserve.

The fix is straightforward: a clear, public, full-throated statement that this President stands for every American who wants to earn their way into a home — and that his policies will reflect exactly that. The sooner it comes, the less damage needs to be undone. America's Homeowner Alliance stands ready to support this effort in any way we can.

Most Respectfully,

America’s Homeowner Alliance

Tino Diaz Managing Director 

tdiaz@myaha.com

cc: The Honorable Scott Turner, Secretary, HUD 

The Honorable Scott Bessent, Secretary, Treasury 

The Honorable Kevin Hassett, Director, NEC 

The Honorable Andrew Hughes, Deputy Secretary, HUD 

The Honorable Mark Calabria, Associate Director for Treasury, Housing, Commerce, Office of Management and Budget

Vince Haley, Assistant to the President and Director, Domestic Policy Council 

Scott Centorino, Special Assistant to the President for Housing 

Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy