Donald Trump made a big promise during his campaign. He said he would stop inflation on his very first day in office. He told people, “Starting the day I take the oath of office, I will rapidly drive prices down.” That sounded like a dream come true. But now, a few weeks into his presidency, inflation is still here, and Trump is saying he had nothing to do with it.
People are confused. How can he claim he would fix inflation in just one day and then, when prices keep rising, say it’s not his fault? In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity this week, Trump admitted, “Inflation is back.” But he quickly added, “I had nothing to do with it.” That’s a big shift from what he said before taking office.
Trump during campaign: Starting the day I take the Oath of Office I will rapidly drive prices down
Trump today: Inflation is back…I had nothing to do with it
— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) February 18, 2025 at 10:19 PM
The latest numbers from the Labor Department show that inflation is still climbing. The Consumer Price Index rose by 3% in January compared to the same time last year. This was more than experts expected. Instead of fixing inflation, Trump is blaming Joe Biden. He wants people to believe this is all Biden’s fault. But the facts don’t support that argument.
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This is not the first time a president has made big promises about fixing inflation. 1974, President Gerald Ford launched a campaign called “Whip Inflation Now,” or WIN. He even handed out buttons that said WIN. But inflation didn’t go away just because people wore buttons. It took years before prices stabilized. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan also promised to fix inflation. However, the Federal Reserve’s strict policies and high interest rates finally helped lower prices, not anything Reagan did in his first days.
Even Trump himself faced inflation before. During his first term, his trade war with China led to price increases on goods like washing machines and steel. At the time, Trump said that some “short-term pain” was necessary. Now, he doesn’t want to take responsibility when prices are high again.
When Trump is asked about inflation, he usually responds in two ways. First, he blames Biden. He says the economy was ruined before he even took office. Second, he denies responsibility. He acts like he just got here and has no power over prices. But many voters aren’t buying his excuses. According to CNN’s Harry Enten, polls show that two-thirds of Americans think Trump isn’t paying enough attention to inflation. If he doesn’t take action soon, this could hurt him politically.
The truth is, no president can snap their fingers and stop inflation. Prices rise for many reasons. TGlobalevents, supply chain problems, interest rates, and consumer behavior all play a role. Presidents can influence these factors, but they cannot fix them overnight.
So what is Trump’s plan now? So far, he has talked about putting tariffs on foreign goods. However, tariffs often lead to even higher prices for American consumers. He has also mentioned tax cuts, which might help businesses but do not necessarily bring down prices for regular people.
Meanwhile, Americans are still struggling with the cost of living. Grocery bills remain high. Gas prices are expensive. Rents keep going up. People expected Trump to deliver on his “Day 1” promise, but now it seems they will have to wait much longer.
Featured image via Screengrab
