President Donald Trump’s high-profile economic speech on Tuesday night was meant to alleviate Americans’ concerns about the cost of living.

Instead, it mainly appeared to deepen fears within the GOP that he’s not quite getting it.

Trump made little effort to reboot his economic message across 90 minutes of winding remarks in Pennsylvania, alarming Republicans already worried that the party is headed for a wipeout in next year’s midterm elections.

Faced with sagging approval ratings and rising voter anxiety, Trump insisted that the economy was booming and that prices were plummeting. He lamented the public’s focus on affordability, while encouraging people to accept living with less.

And with Republicans desperately seeking effective new ways to brighten voters’ mood, Trump offered few signs that a solution would be coming from the top.

“Telling people they don’t know what’s going on in their lives is a mistake, and that won’t work,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the right-leaning American Action Forum and a longtime Republican economic adviser. “But he’s not going to change his tune, and his tune is not helpful at the moment.”

Trump’s persistently rosy outlook on the economy — including again declaring affordability a “hoax” advanced by Democrats — has dented hopes that the president will be willing to substantially shift his messaging, despite clear warning signs and a concerted push by various aides and allies.

With Trump’s focus abroad, Republicans push for midterms pivot to economy

Within Trump’s orbit, even the more optimistic advisers described it only as a much-needed start, arguing that just getting the president back on the stump to tout his agenda represented a victory after months of focusing largely on matters abroad.

“We need to get back on offense,” said one Trump adviser.