Children First is reviewing the statements of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on important economic issues for families – expanding the child tax credit and saving child care. This week’s focus is on former President Donald Trump. An analysis of Vice President Kamala Harris’ platform will run next week.

Wednesday’s presidential debate was a prime-time opportunity to talk directly to families about the bread-and-butter issues like the cost of raising a family and helping them keep their kids healthy.

What a missed opportunity for Former President Trump who only said “family” once and never said the word “child.”  Granted, the moderators did not focus their questions on these issues.  Since both candidates used questions only as a prompt to say whatever they wanted, it was telling that children and young families were not top of mind for the former president.

A few days before the debate, when asked. “If you win in November, can you commit to legislation making childcare affordable? And, if so, what specific piece of legislation will you advance?”  Trump’s response included a glimmer of hope when he said, “… you have to have it. In this country, you have to have it.” Given that Trump is willing to go on record and say that child care imperative, we have to point out that child care is never mentioned in his own Platform. 

The former POTUS suggested that he would impose sweeping new import taxes to cover the cost of child care for families. But experience tells us that Congress will never back legislation to his proposal to increase the cost of goods sold to Americans by 40% to fund child care. 

The Presidential Debate also offered the former President the chance to explain his views on the Child Tax Credit, a policy when robust enough can lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty and help middle income families pay their bills.  His platform says he wants to continue the Child Tax Credit but provides no details. 

Voters may not be aware that without leadership from the next President, the Child Tax Credit will drop by 50% to $1,000 by the end of next year. To address child poverty, this election must make it clear to the winners of any federal office that anything short of a full restoration of the credit to the 2020 level of $3,000 per child is a non-starter.

President Trump’s first campaign included a strong push for paid family leave, a policy with proven benefits for health baby and maternal outcomes.  During COVID he passed legislation to give every family in America access to this leave.  So far, he’s not talking about this policy in this race.  Now some close Trump advisors are floating a precarious plan to fund family leave by tapping the already overburdened social security benefit program.  Let’s hope the former POTUS does not embrace this approach that will only pit seniors against young families, thwarting any movement to finally get paid family leave in place.

When it came to health care, the former President Trump attacked the Affordable Care Act which has achieved a historic record lowering the number of uninsured Americans including children.  Yet he’s said nothing about the number one issue parents are clamoring to hear: how will he reform health so that children can get access to mental health services they desperately need?  Crickets from the former POTUS on this front. 

There are still 53 days till the election giving former President Trump plenty of time to get much more specific and clearer about meeting the needs of children.  We are all ears. 

Look out for our analysis of the Democratic Nominee Kamala Harris next week.