Trump hails lower prices amid rising discontent over cost of living

As he continues to face growing unease from Americans over the cost of living, US President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s record on lowering prices.

Trump praised the return of inflation to “normal” levels in a speech to McDonald’s franchise owners and suppliers on Monday, while promising to keep price growth at a low level.

Trump said, “We have it down to a low level, but we’re going to get it a little lower.”

We aspire to perfection.

The Republican president blamed former US President Joe Biden for the economy’s failure and reiterated his regular claim that Americans were “damn lucky” that he won the 2024 election.

“No one has done the pricing we’ve done,” said the spokesperson. Trump claimed that “we took control of a mess.”

In spite of persistent affordability concerns, Trump, whose 2024 presidential campaign focused a lot on living costs, has struggled to appeal to Americans.

In a Reuters poll conducted this month, 66 percent of respondents said Trump had not lived up to their expectations for affordability, while 63 percent said the same about the economy in general.

Popular disinformation has been used to explain why Republicans lost in early this month’s off-year elections in several states, including New Jersey and Virginia.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday to lower duties on 200 food products, including beef, bananas, coffee, and orange juice, despite repeatedly lowering the impact of his tariffs on prices.

In an effort to address affordability concerns, Trump has also made mention of tariff-funded $2, 000 rebate checks and the introduction of 50-year mortgages.

Although inflation has significantly decreased since Biden’s administration’s four-decade high of 9.1%, it still is significantly below the Federal Reserve’s target of 2 percent.

In October, the inflation rate increased to 3 percent, marking the first time since January, despite the fact that many analysts had anticipated a higher figure as a result of Trump’s trade talks.

Trump, who is well-known for his adoration of McDonald’s, praised the fast-food chain for a significant portion of his speech on Monday, branding it an example of his economic agenda.

From the cashier starting her first job to the franchisee opening their first location to the young family in a drive-through line, “Together we are fighting for an economy where everyone can win.”

Trump also expressed his “special thanks” to the fast-food chain for introducing more affordable menu options, including the reintroduced extra value meals, which were phased out in 2018 and are $5 or $8.