Inflation threatens to swamp Trump politically
By Zach Halaschak
September 26, 2025 11:05 am
President Donald Trump is facing political pressure over too-high inflation, in what could be a key challenge for Republicans heading into the midterm elections next year.
Inflation under former President Joe Biden reached highs not seen since the 1970s. Voter discontent with high prices helped Trump best then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential contest, as Trump hammered Democrats as responsible for inflation.
Yet, two-thirds of a year into his term, Trump has not yet been able to control price growth. Inflation has trended the wrong way in recent months, and he has implemented several policies that could add upward pressure to prices.
Many of the rising prices are ones that impose hardship directly on households. Electricity prices in August were 6.2% higher on the year, according to the consumer price index, and used cars cost 6% more.
Grocery prices, paid by families weekly, are also still going higher. Meat products have risen on average 7.3% over the past 12 months, with steak prices rising the most, 16.6%. Chicken prices are up 2.8%.
Prices for meals at restaurants are up nearly 4% and have risen by 30% in the past five years.
There are some positives for consumers, such as gas prices falling 6.6% over the past year and new car prices only rising by 0.7%, although higher interest rates still make buying a new vehicle untenable for many people. Egg prices, too, have fallen dramatically. They were in focus when Trump took office because they had risen in price to about $8 for a dozen, due to the bird flu hitting supply, but have since fallen to near $2, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Still, inflation appears to have leveled off at a relatively high rate by historical standards, and families are paying far higher prices than just a few years ago.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/finance-and-economy/3823444/inflation-threatens-to-swamp-trump-politically/
