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Throughout the previous presidential campaign, the former president courted voters with promises to lower costs immediately upon taking office. However, once his inauguration, he seemed to pay minimal attention to affordability issues. This shifted after price-fatigued voters expressed dissatisfaction at the ballot box. Within days, the Trump administration launched a hastily assembled effort to tackle living costs. Regrettably, this initiative has proven a hot mess—filled with absurdity, contradictions, unrealistic expectations, scapegoating, and Trumpian dishonesty.

Detached Assertions and Grocery Store Truth

Just two days post-election, the president began his cost-reduction push with a disastrous remark: “Our groceries are way down. Everything is way down… So I don’t want to hear about the cost of living.” This comment from the wealthy leader—who frequently associates with fellow billionaires—demonstrated utter contempt for everyday citizens facing difficulties every time they go supermarkets. Essentially, he dismissed their concerns as unimportant, suggesting they had it wrong about actual costs.

This statement about declining prices was highly misleading and dishonest. How could every price be falling when the taxes he imposed were increasing prices? Recent data indicate the cost of bananas rose 6.9% in the last twelve months, beef prices climbed almost 15%, and coffee prices jumped 18.9%—in part due to import taxes applied to Brazilian products. Between January and September, prices rose in five of the six food categories tracked by the government’s price index, including animal proteins (rising over 4%), drinks (up 2.8%), and fruits and vegetables (rising slightly).

Inconsistencies and Falsehoods in Economic Statements

In spite of these numbers, the president continues to push his misleading narrative about lower costs. After the vote, he has claimed there is “virtually no inflation,” declared “costs have fallen significantly,” and asserted “it is far less expensive under Trump than it was under his predecessor.” Such remarks contradict the fact that general costs have clearly increased after the previous administration. Currently, inflation is at a 3% annual rate, that’s 50% higher than the central bank’s target of 2 percent. In another falsehood, he boasted that gas prices had fallen to around two dollars, despite government figures indicate they are $3.19.

Confronted by actual conditions and lower approval ratings, some Trump aides evidently warned that his “costs are falling” rhetoric made him sound dangerously out of touch from ordinary people. Many voters are angry about prices continuing to climb after assurances of reductions. As a result, advisers suggested a simple solution: roll back some of Trump’s beloved tariffs. The logical move clashed with Trump’s absurd assertion that new tariffs would not increase costs for American shoppers.

Proposed Fixes and Their Possible Impact

With some tariffs being rolled back on coffee, beef, tomatoes, and bananas, Trump will likely claim that he has cut prices once these products start declining in price. This would be similar to a firestarter taking credit for extinguishing a blaze that he ignited. On another occasion, while speaking fast-food leaders, he stated that “this is the golden age of America” and told listeners that “costs are decreasing and all of that stuff.” Such statements are easy for a wealthy individual to make, but seem insincere to countless households who are struggling—particularly when many face cuts to nutrition assistance or skyrocketing health premiums.

According to a survey from October, three-quarters of respondents think the state of the economy are fair or poor, while only 26% rate them positive. A separate survey showed that a majority of citizens say Trump’s policies have “made the economy worse” in the country.

Economic Reality and Suggested Measures

The treasury secretary, the president’s top economic official, recently disputed assertions of a golden age. He stated that far from booming, some parts of the American economy “are in recession.” Industrial production—a priority for the administration—appears to have contracted for multiple consecutive months and lost around 33,000 jobs since January. Pointing to these challenges, the secretary called on the central bank to cut interest rates—a move that could help affordability.

In response to public dismay about affordability, Trump proposed a direct payment of “a dividend of at least $2,000 a person” not for “the wealthy.” For many households in need, this sounds like manna from heaven, but it is unlikely that Congress—concerned about large shortfalls—will approve the proposal. The scheme would likely increase federal spending, push up borrowing costs, and potentially fuel inflation by putting more money into consumers’ pockets.

A further supposed fix for affordability centered on introducing half-century home loans, with the notion that they could reduce monthly mortgage payments. But, the truth is that such lengthy loans have minimal impact to lower monthly payments—often reducing them by a small amount per month. The downside is that these loans could significantly increase the overall cost homeowners pay and hinder building home value.

Blaming the Past Government and Financial Outlook

As part of their affordability campaign, the administration have again blamed the previous president for financial challenges, including increasing costs. Officials stated they “inherited a disaster from Joe Biden” and were “cleaning up the prior administration’s price hikes.” This is unfounded and inaccurate claims. Actually, Biden handed over a strong economy, with inflation way down, economic growth strong, and unemployment low. However, Trump’s policies—particularly his tariffs—have created an economic mess, pushing up prices and reducing economic output.

Per Mark Zandi, chief economist at a research firm, numerous regions are experiencing economic decline, with their conditions worsened by Trump’s tariffs. Zandi fears that if key regions such as major economies enter a downturn, the nation could slide into a broad economic slump. During recessions, consumers typically have less money to spend, and inflation usually declines. Unfortunately, given the highly-touted cost initiative likely to do little to hold down prices, his primary method for achieving increased affordability might end up pushing the nation into recession—something that struggling Americans really can’t afford.