Former President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that addressing Americans’ economic hardships begins with lowering energy bills, reaffirming his commitment to cut energy costs by 50% within his first year back in the White House.

Speaking at a town hall event in Flint, Michigan, hosted by Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump focused primarily on the economy and the auto industry. When a woman asked how he would reduce the cost of food and groceries, Trump emphasized the importance of energy costs.

“We have to start always with energy,” he replied. “I don’t want to be boring about it, but there’s no bigger subject that covers everything. If you make donuts, if you make cars, whatever you make, energy is a big deal.”

He added, “It’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50%. If I can do that, we’ve done a hell of a job … [and] interest rates are going to follow.”

Trump has made energy costs a central focus of his 2024 campaign, announcing last month his plan to halve energy bills if elected. The monthly cost of electricity has been rising since the early 2000s, spiking in early 2022, with residential rates currently at 16.41 cents per kilowatt hour as of June 2024, compared to 12.62 cents in January 2021, according to the Energy Information Administration.

While natural gas prices reached their highest in a decade in August 2022, they have since fallen to near-Trump-era lows. However, gasoline prices have remained higher under the Biden-Harris administration, averaging $3.50 nationally as of August, compared to the highest average of $2.99 during Trump’s presidency in May 2018.

During the Flint event, Trump declared that his administration would “drill, baby, drill” starting on his first day back in the White House if elected.