CINCINNATI — President Donald Trump will make his first public appearance in the Greater Cincinnati area in more than six years Wednesday, according to a White House spokesperson.
Trump is scheduled to make two stops in the area—one in Reading, Ohio, and one in Hebron, Ky.—to highlight economic and healthcare policies.
At Thermo Fisher Scientific in Reading, President Trump is expected to talk about TrumpRx.gov, "one of his most transformational policies: delivering lower prescription drug prices for working families," according to the spokesperson.
"Thanks to President Trump’s Most Favored Nation pricing agreements, American patients can now access dozens of medications at massively discounted prices through TrumpRx.gov–with more savings in store for American patients when Congress passes the President’s Great Healthcare Plan," the spokesperson said. "The President will tout that massively popular policy and the rest of his Administration’s aggressive efforts to lower prices and make America more affordable."
WATCH: President Trump is making stops in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Here is what we know
Bill Baker, a Trump supporter who lives near Thermo Fisher Scientific, said he was pleasantly surprised by the visit.
"I just can't believe it," Baker said. "(TrumpRx) is going to be awesome, I mean, if it does what they say it's going to do."
We have reached out to the media team at Thermo Fisher Scientific for comment on the event. A spokesperson said they are working on our request.
What is TrumpRx?
TrumpRx is a federal government-run prescription drug website that the Trump Administration launched in February.
According to the White House, the platform currently features brand-name drug offerings from manufacturers AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer. A recent post by the White House said additional medications will be made available in the coming months.
Emmanuel Ayanjoke, pharmacist and owner of Altev Community Pharmacy in Avondale, said the platform is not quite an online pharmacy but rather a savings aggregator.
"Anything that helps reduce the price our patients pay at the point of sale is always welcome," Ayanjoke said. "I definitely encourage everyone who uses (TrumpRx) to have a candid conversation with their pharmacist, right? It's not for everyone."
The platform works somewhat like a clearinghouse that connects users with manufacturers' websites, offering the lowest cash prices. Ayanjoke said it primarily benefits two groups: people without health insurance and those with insurance copays that are higher than the manufacturer-negotiated cost of a drug.
"It's a very bizarre thing in pharmacy and healthcare in general, where typically, there are many cases that your copay for medication is actually much, much higher than the cost of the actual medication negotiated with the manufacturer, directly," he said. "So in those cases (with) the subset of patients, then it makes a lot of sense to look at things like TrumpRx."
Ayanjoke said the platform raises important questions about pricing transparency in the pharmaceutical industry.
"It's really bringing that conversation to light that why do we have a scenario where insurance pricing is way out of whack(in) comparison to what manufacturers actually are willing to charge for those drugs," Ayanjoke said.
The website currently lists over 40 medications treating conditions including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and infertility. However, the platform does not carry generic medications.
"If you're going to go on (TrumpRx) to get a brand-name medication, always ask your pharmacist and see, is there already an available generic for this medication that I'm on? And, will that save me a lot of money?" Ayanjoke said. "In many cases, substantial savings exist for generic medications over brand names."
Trump's Northern Kentucky stop
Trump is also scheduled to speak at the Verst Logistics Contract Packaging Facility in Hebron, where he is expected to discuss the economy, according to the Kentucky Republican Party.
"We're looking forward to hosting a big crowd," Adam Hope, communications director for the Kentucky GOP, said. "He is going to be giving some remarks on the economy to kind of highlight the wins that we've had and where the country is headed as we gear up for midterms."
Hope said the Kentucky GOP does not know the specifics of what Trump will say but touted several fiscal policies from the administration.
"There was a lot of stuff in the 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' that they passed last year that we believe is going to have tremendous impact on the people of Kentucky," Hope said. "Things like no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, the working families tax cuts and especially with it being tax season, we expect to see a lot of those results really kind of come into fruition and (put) more money back in people's pockets."
According to the Kentucky GOP, Trump will make remarks to the public sometime after 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The exact time has not yet been confirmed.
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We reached out to Verst Logistics for comment regarding the event. We are still waiting to hear back.
But not everyone is looking forward to the president's visit.
We reached out to the Hamilton County Democratic Party. The chair, Alex Linser, wrote in a statement, "Ohioans know better than to fall for another one of Donald Trump’s empty promises. He promised to address the skyrocketing cost of living, threats to public safety, and endless wars and has somehow managed to make each of those problems worse."
Nat Turner, director of communications for the Kentucky Democratic Party, said in a statement that Trump, "can't sell his failing economy to Kentuckians struggling to buy groceries and gas."
"From challenges in the bourbon industry to closing rural health care facilities, all of Kentucky’s toughest economic struggles of the past year are directly connected to his policies, including his trade wars and hospital-closing federal budget," Turner said. "The only prescription for lowering costs for the American people is to hold Trump accountable by electing more Democrats."
The Ohio Democratic Party also responded to Trump's visit with a statement.
"From gas prices to energy bills to the cost of healthcare, the White House and their allies in Congress and Columbus have not only failed to lower prices, they're actually making things worse," Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde said. "Republican candidates across Ohio will pay the price this November for raising costs on Ohio families while lining the pockets of billionaires and special interests."
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