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Throughout the previous race for the White House, Donald Trump wooed voters with promises to reduce costs starting on day one. However, once he assumed office, he seemed to pay precious little focus to the cost of living. All that changed following price-fatigued voters expressed dissatisfaction at the polls. Within days, the Trump administration initiated a slapdash campaign to tackle living costs. Regrettably, this initiative has proven a hot mess—filled with absurdity, inconsistencies, unrealistic expectations, scapegoating, and misleading statements.

Detached Claims and Supermarket Truth

Just two days after the election, Trump began his cost-reduction push with a poorly received statement: “Our groceries are way down. Everything is way down… So I don’t want to hear about affordability.” This comment from billionaire Trump—who frequently mingles with fellow billionaires—demonstrated utter contempt for everyday citizens who struggle every time they go the grocery store. Essentially, he dismissed their struggles as unimportant, implying they had it wrong about actual costs.

His assertion that everything was “way down” was highly misleading and dishonest. In what way could all costs be decreasing when the taxes he imposed were increasing prices? Official statistics indicate banana prices increased nearly 7% over the past year, beef prices went up 14.7%, and the cost of coffee surged 18.9%—in part due to punitive tariffs on Brazil’s coffee and beef. In the first three quarters, prices rose in the majority of food categories tracked by the Consumer Price Index, such as meats, poultry, and fish (up 4.5%), drinks (increasing nearly 3%), and produce (rising slightly).

Inconsistencies and Inaccuracies in Economic Statements

Despite the evidence, Trump continues to push his misleading narrative about lower costs. Since election day, he has stated there is “almost no price increases,” declared “costs have fallen significantly,” and argued “it is far less expensive under Trump than it was under his predecessor.” Such remarks ignore the reality that general costs have unarguably risen after the previous administration. At present, inflation is running at a 3% annual rate, that’s 50% higher than the central bank’s 2% goal. In another falsehood, he boasted that gas prices had fallen to around two dollars, despite government figures show they average over three dollars.

Faced with reality and lower approval ratings, advisers apparently cautioned that his “costs are falling” rhetoric portrayed him as dangerously out of touch from typical Americans. A lot of citizens are frustrated about prices continuing to climb following assurances of decreases. In response, aides suggested one quick fix: roll back certain import taxes. The logical move clashed with the president’s unrealistic claim that additional taxes wouldn’t raise prices for American shoppers.

Suggested Fixes and Their Potential Impact

With certain taxes reduced on several food items, the administration will likely announce that he has lowered costs once those foods begin to fall in price. This would be like an arsonist taking credit for putting out a fire that he ignited. In another instance, while speaking McDonald’s executives, Trump stated that “we are in the golden age of America” and assured listeners that “costs are decreasing and all of that stuff.” These comments are easy for a billionaire to make, but they ring hollow to countless households facing hardships—especially when many face cuts to nutrition assistance or skyrocketing health premiums.

Per a recent poll conducted last fall, three-quarters of respondents believe the state of the economy are fair or poor, while only 26% rate them positive. Another poll found that 61% of Americans say Trump’s policies have “worsened economic conditions” in the country.

Financial Truth and Suggested Measures

Scott Bessent, the president’s chief financial officer, lately contradicted assertions of a golden age. He stated that far from booming, some parts of the US economy “have contracted.” Industrial production—a priority for the administration—appears to have contracted for eight months in a row and shed approximately tens of thousands of positions this year. Pointing to these challenges, Bessent called on the Federal Reserve to reduce borrowing costs—a move that could ease financial pressure.

In response to widespread concern about living costs, Trump suggested a direct payment of “a payout of at least $2,000 a person” excluding “high income people.” For many struggling Americans, it seems like manna from heaven, but it is unlikely that lawmakers—concerned about large shortfalls—will enact such a plan. This idea would likely raise government expenditure, push up interest rates, and potentially drive prices higher by injecting cash into consumers’ pockets.

A further proposed solution for affordability involved creating half-century home loans, based on the idea that this would reduce monthly mortgage payments. But, reality is that such lengthy loans would do little to reduce installments—frequently cutting them by a small amount per month. The drawback is that these mortgages could significantly increase the overall cost homeowners pay and hinder their accumulation of equity.

Blaming the Past Government and Financial Outlook

In their cost-cutting effort, Trump and his team have again pointed fingers at the previous president for economic problems, including rising prices. Officials claimed they “faced a mess from Joe Biden” and were “cleaning up Biden’s inflation.” These are absurd and inaccurate claims. Actually, Biden handed over a strong economy, with low price growth, solid expansion, and minimal joblessness. But, the current administration’s actions—especially import taxes—have resulted in an difficult situation, driving costs higher and slowing GDP growth.

Per Mark Zandi, lead analyst at Moody’s Analytics, 22 states are experiencing economic decline, with their economies damaged by Trump’s tariffs. Zandi worries that if large states such as California and New York enter a downturn, the US could face a broad economic slump. During recessions, consumers typically have reduced funds to spend, and inflation usually declines. Unfortunately, given Trump’s much-ballyhooed affordability campaign likely to do little to control costs, his most effective “tool” for improving living standards might prove to be pushing the nation into recession—a scenario that struggling Americans really can’t afford.