Affordability and Inflation News

President Trump on Inflation: “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.”

Consider the context: During President Trump’s first term, he withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA—the 2015 agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, China, Russia, plus Germany) to limit and monitor Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Now he is scrambling to cobble together something similar to the JCPOA but probably with less robust international inspections.

Fri, May 29, 2026:

This Is Why Your Groceries Are So Expensive - NYT

Thurs, May 28, 2026:

Tues, May 26, 2026:

For a libertarian point of view on affordability, see CATO’s new Handbook on Affordability

Wed, May 13, 2026:

Tues, May 12, 2026:

Inflation Accelerates to 3.8% as Fuel Prices Start to Bite - Fiscal Times

Thurs, May 7, 2026:

Consumers Are ‘Running Out of Money’ and Cutting Back, CEOs Warn - Bloomberg

Wed, May 6, 2026:

Tues, May 5, 2026:

High Cost of Living Tops U.S. Financial Worries - Gallup

Thurs, April 30, 2026:

Key inflation gauge jumps to highest level in 3 years as Iran war spikes gas prices - AP

Tues, April 28, 2026:

Tues, April 14, 2026:

Wholesale inflation rose in March to three year-high - CNN

Fri, April 10, 2026:

Consumer sentiment plummets to record low as war jacks up inflation - CNN
The University of Michigan’s latest consumer survey released Friday showed that sentiment declined 11% early this month to a reading of 47.6, lower than anything seen in the post World War II era, including during the Great Recession, the pandemic downturn and the historic inflation surge afterward.
Surging gas prices drive inflation to highest level in 2 years - Politico
War in Iran sends inflation soaring and the mood of American consumers plunging - AP
Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday, up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years… A big question for now is how long the oil and gas price shock lasts and whether it will lead to a broader, long-lasting inflation boost, similar to what occurred in the spring of 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Prices Are High. Here’s One Reason Not to Panic. - NYT / Furman

Thurs, April 9, 2026:

Hillary Clinton: How to Fix Affordability - NYT

Tues, April 7, 2026:

US Inflation Shows Worrying Parallels With 2022 Price Surge - Bloomberg
Iran war gives U.S. consumers the inflation jitters - Axios

Thurs, April 2, 2026:

Grocery shock on the horizon for approaching U.S. elections as Iran war drags on - CNBC

Fri, March 27, 2026:

Economists See War Pushing US Inflation Above 3%, Hurting Growth - Bloomberg

Thurs, March 19, 2026:

Central Banks Brace for Faster Inflation as Energy Prices Surge. Traders now expect Europe’s central bankers to raise rates this year to address a sharp increase in inflation because of higher energy prices. - NYT

Wed, March 18, 2026:

Oil prices climb again after strikes in crucial Iranian gas field. President Donald Trump’s suspension of the Jones Act to free up shipping did little to calm markets. The average cost of unleaded gas is now 32 percent higher than a month ago. - WP

Mon, March 16, 2026:

Rising prices push US car ownership costs to breaking point. Auto affordability strains household finances in nation that relies on vehicles for transportation - FT

Mon, Mar 9, 2026:

U.S. Gasoline Prices, Rising Again, Hit $3.48 a Gallon - NYT

Tues, Mar 3, 2026:

Wed, Feb 25, 2026:
Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers. More citizens are replanting overseas, drawn by a quality of life made easily affordable by the U.S.’s enviable salaries. “I wasn’t expecting to be surrounded by this many Americans.” - WSJ

Thurs, Feb 19, 2026:
The Beef Industry Has a Message for Consumers: Get Used to High Prices. U.S. cattle herds are at lowest level in 75 years, putting a premium on the protein. -WSJ

Sun, Feb 15, 2026:
Trump claims victory on affordability as public anxieties persist. Advisers had been encouraging the president to sound more empathetic toward struggling Americans. But as some bright spots emerge, the messaging has shifted. - WP

Fri, Feb 13, 2026:
Inflation dropped to 2.4% in January compared with a year earlier, down from 2.7% in December… Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy categories, rose 2.5% in January from a year ago, down from 2.6% the previous month. There were signs in the report that retailers are passing on more of the costs of President Donald Trump’s tariffs to consumers for goods such as furniture, appliances, and clothes. But those increases were offset by falling prices elsewhere. In other areas, Trump has delayed, scrapped, or provided exemptions to his duties.- AP

Fri, Jan 30, 2026:
Companies are getting hit by rising prices, just like consumers. Service prices jumped in December while prices for goods stayed the same, thanks to a decline in energy costs. - NBC

Thurs, Jan 22, 2026:
Fed’s main gauge shows inflation at 2.8% in November, edging further away from target - CNBC

Thurs, Jan 15, 2026:
Inflation is not ‘defeated’. Trump cannot convince consumers that prices have fallen, but he can reset expectations around costs. - WP

Wed, Jan 14, 2026:
Despite Trump’s Claims, Grocery Prices Are Rising. Weather, supply, tariffs, labor and changing consumer habits continue to drive up the cost of groceries. Trump falsely claims prices are falling. - NYT

Tues, Jan 13, 2026:
President Defends Economic Policies as He Insists Affordability Is ‘Fake’ Word - NYT
US consumer prices likely snapped back after being restrained by government shutdown distortions - Reuters
In a Risky Gambit, Trump Tries Brute Force to Lower Prices. To assuage cost-weary voters and combat inflation, the president has resorted to a mix of threats and punishments, targeting companies and policymakers alike. - NYT
President Trump has proposed several measures to address affordability, including a 10% cap on credit-card rates and using tariff revenue for payments to Americans. - WSJ

Fact Check: (1) The President has no authority to impose a cap on credit card interest rates. A bipartisan bill sponsored by senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) last year would have put a temporary 10% cap on credit card interest rates, but the bill hasn't gone anywhere. (2) The President has no authority to use tariff revenues for payments to American consumers without a congressional appropriation; moreover, such payments would require Treasury to borrow additional funds and raise the public debt even further than the $4 trillion increase resulting from President Trump’s budget bill last summer.

Sat, Jan 10, 2026:
Trump calls for one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%. Democratic lawmaker says Trump's call is meaningless without a bill. “Begging credit card companies to play nice is a joke. I said a year ago if Trump was serious I’d work to pass a bill to cap rates,” Senate Banking Committee Ranking Democrat Elizabeth Warren said, while criticizing Trump’s attempts to gut the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. - Reuters

Mon, Jan 5, 2026:
Fixing Affordability Isn’t Easy. Here Are Four Suggestions. - NYT

Tues, Dec 30, 2025:
The truth about affordability. Voters in rich countries are angry about prices. Politicians could make things worse. - Economist
America’s affordability crisis is (mostly) a mirage - Economist

Tues, Dec 23, 2025:
Republicans and Democrats pitch competing plans to tackle affordability. Affordability is topic No. 1 with the midterms looming, but economists are skeptical that Congress can do much to lower prices across the board. – WP

Publisher’s Note: One easy remedy to take pressure off of higher prices is to roll back the Trump tariffs.

Thurs, Dec 18, 2025:
A Great Inflation Report Doesn’t Quite Stand Up to Scrutiny – Bloomberg
Economists see a lot of flaws in delayed CPI report showing downward inflation – CNBC

Wed, Dec 17, 2025:
The Affordability Crisis Is Real and Tariffs Caused It – Bloomberg / Sperling
The Trump administration did not inherit a weak economy with out-of-control inflation, as unemployment was around 4% when Trump took office and has since risen to 4.6%.
Trump’s policies, including tariff increases, have reversed the economy’s momentum and led to increased inflation, with core PCE inflation re-accelerating to 2.8% since April.

Wed, Dec 10, 2025:
At the first stop on his affordability tour, Trump mocks affordability – WP
Trump Says Americans Are Doing Great, Even as Views on the Economy Sour. President Trump’s speech in Pennsylvania was meant to alleviate concerns about affordability. But he kept wandering off script and dwelling on his favorite targets, like immigration. – NYT
Trump’s speech on combating inflation turns to grievances about immigrants from ‘filthy’ countries – AP
Trump’s Economic Promises Test Patience in the Poconos – WSJ

Mon, Dec 8, 2025:
Republicans have an affordability problem. They can’t agree on how to fix it. Top GOP leaders in Congress are keeping expectations low for major new economic legislation. – Politico
Trump Insists Tariffs Will Buoy the Economy. For Now, He’s on Damage Control. The president rolled out a $12 billion bailout for farmers as he makes the case that his policy is working — or will soon. – NYT

Sun, Dec 7, 2025:
Trump Tasks Top Advisers With Finding Way to Lower Soaring Beef Prices. Ranchers and slaughterhouse operators offer competing visions on how to address inflation challenge. – WSJ

Sat, Dec 6, 2025:
Trump struggles to persuade Americans to ignore affordability issues. A president who has often seemed to float above the laws of politics confronts a new political reality. – WP

Fri, Dec 5, 2025:
‘No basis in reality’: Steve Rattner fact-checks Trump on inflation, affordability

Mon, Dec 1, 2025:
More Americans say Trump has helped raise prices rather than lower them – The Hill
GOP lawmakers lack confidence in Trump’s plans to tackle costs – The Hill
‘The New Price of Eggs.’ The Political Shocks of Data Centers and Electric Bills – NYT
Electricity prices jump after Trump rejects disaster aid for Michigan utilities. The president denied the state’s request for federal aid to rebuild power lines after a fierce ice storm last March, a move that could force thousands of rural electricity customers to pay the entire tab. – Politico

Tues, Nov 25, 2025:
Inside Atlanta’s First Government-Funded Supermarket. Goal is for the store to become profitable without any government subsidy within three years. – WSJ

Mon, Nov 24, 2025:
‘You can’t just talk about gas and groceries’: GOP grapples with housing affordability message. As Republicans look to catch up on cost of living, some eye housing as a messaging blind spot. – Politico
More Americans are getting their power shut off, as unpaid bills pile up. Average electricity costs have risen 11 percent since January, more than three times the rate of inflation. – WP

Fri, Nov 21, 2025:
Does Trump Know the Price of Milk? – NYT
Retail Earnings Say a Lot About US Consumers — None of It Good – Bloomberg

Wed, Nov 19, 2025:
Electricity bills are soaring — and flipping seats. Data centers are spiking electricity rates and angering voters. – WP
America’s deepening affordability crisis summed up in 5 charts – CBS

Tues, Nov 18, 2025:
Cheaper Coffee and Tomatoes Won’t Fix the Inflation Problem – Bloomberg

Mon, Nov 17, 2025:
High Hamburger Prices? White House Blames Biden and Migrants. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said migrants were bringing sick cows across the border, snarling beef supply chains. – NYT