Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte announced Saturday that the agency is developing plans to introduce a 50-year mortgage option, a proposal aimed at addressing growing public concerns over housing affordability. The initiative comes as President Donald Trump increases his focus on affordability following Republican setbacks in the 2025 midyear elections, which Democrats credited to their own economic messaging. Trump, who has described the affordability crisis as a “con job,” is now expected to make the issue central to his second-term agenda. Over the weekend, he shared a graphic online titled “Great American Presidents,” depicting himself alongside Franklin D. Roosevelt—Roosevelt labeled “30-Year Mortgage” and Trump labeled “50-Year Mortgage.” The image signaled Trump’s intention to expand mortgage terms as part of a broader affordability push. Pulte later confirmed the plan, calling it a “complete game changer” that could make homeownership more accessible amid rising prices and interest rates.

The comparison to Roosevelt reflects Trump’s ambition to mirror the New Deal’s transformative housing reforms. Roosevelt’s policies helped establish the Federal Housing Administration and made 30-year mortgages the norm, although the long-term loan was not formally authorized until years after his death. Trump’s 50-year mortgage proposal, if enacted, would extend repayment timelines even further—reducing monthly payments but significantly increasing total interest costs. The proposal aligns with Trump’s broader economic strategy to address rising living costs while promoting expanded access to homeownership as a hallmark of his second-term domestic policy.

However, some Republicans sharply criticized the idea. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) warned that a 50-year loan at 7% interest would barely reduce principal over time, calling it “a recipe for default.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) argued it would leave borrowers “in debt forever,” benefiting banks and builders more than homeowners. Conservative commentators including Meghan McCain, Laura Loomer, and Matt Walsh urged Trump to pursue alternatives such as wage growth, tax relief, and immigration reform. Despite the pushback, the Trump administration insists the proposal reflects its renewed focus on affordability and economic relief.