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Trump Floats 50-Year Mortgage to Help Homebuyers

State of the Union: The White House is turning its attention to the affordability crisis.
White House US President Donald Trump, US Vice President JD Vance, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
(Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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President Donald Trump on Saturday proposed a 50-year mortgage for homebuyers. 

Trump posted on Truth Social a graphic titled “Great American Presidents” with his portrait labeled “50-Year Mortgage” next to a portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt labeled “30-Year Mortgage.” Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, confirmed on X that the federal government is “working on The 50 year Mortgage – a complete game changer.”

The announcement is an attempt to grapple with the rising costs of housing, which have spiked by around 50 percent since 2020, a circumstance that has created significant frustration among younger Americans in particular. The proposed new mortgage term, along with Trump’s recent announcement of an investigation into the meatpacking industry over price-fixing, suggest that the president is turning his attention to affordability and cost of living, issues which topped the list of voter concerns during the recent election.

However, the establishment of a 50-year mortgage may run into problems with extant law. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Consumer Protection Act, which regulates mortgage underwriting, does not currently provide for qualified mortgages on 50-year terms, meaning that Trump may need to work with Congress to revise the law or convince lenders to offer 50-year mortgages under alternative terms.

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