Donald Trump, Who Promised to Lower Grocery Prices During Campaign, Now Says It Will Be a “Very Hard” Task

Donald Trump, who centered his 2024 campaign on tackling rising grocery prices, is now acknowledging that delivering on that promise may be more difficult than he initially claimed. In an interview with Time magazine following his designation as “Person of the Year,” Trump described slashing food costs as a “very hard” task, citing challenges inherited from the Biden-Harris administration.

When asked if failing to reduce prices would mark his presidency as a failure, Trump pushed back. “I don’t think so,” he said. “Look, they got them up. I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard.”

Despite the acknowledgment, Trump expressed confidence that lower prices could be achieved by increasing energy production and addressing supply chain issues, calling the current supply chain “still broken.”

During his campaign, Trump frequently blamed the Biden administration for inflation and skyrocketing grocery costs, a message that resonated with voters. Exit polls showed economic frustration as a major factor in his victory, with Trump himself crediting his win to concerns over “the groceries.”

“When you buy apples, when you buy bacon, when you buy eggs, they would double and triple the price over a short period of time,” Trump said in a recent Meet the Press interview. “I won an election based on that. We’re going to bring those prices way down.”

While inflation has cooled to 2.7% as of November, food prices remain unpredictable. The cost of some staples like rice and bacon has dropped, but items like eggs have surged due to supply disruptions, including an avian flu outbreak.

To address these issues, Trump has proposed ramping up domestic energy production and implementing high tariffs on imports from countries like China, Mexico, and Canada. However, experts warn that such tariffs could ultimately raise costs for American consumers, particularly since Mexico and Canada are among the largest suppliers of U.S. agricultural goods.

When asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker if tariffs would increase prices for Americans, Trump avoided making guarantees. “I can’t guarantee anything. I can’t guarantee tomorrow,” he said, instead emphasizing what he called the “greatest economy in the history of our country” before the pandemic.