Washington [US]: US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his administration’s handling of rising living costs, asserting that inflation has returned to what he called “normal” levels and vowing additional measures to ease financial pressures on households.
Speaking to McDonald’s franchise owners and suppliers, Trump said his economic policies had significantly lowered inflation and that his team remained focused on further reducing expenses. “We have it down to a low level, but we’re going to get it a little bit lower,” he said. “We want perfection.”
Trump also launched fresh attacks on Democrats, blaming former President Joe Biden for the surge in living costs over the past few years. He claimed Americans were “so damn lucky” he won the 2024 election, adding, “Nobody has done what we’ve done in terms of pricing. We took over a mess.”
Despite making affordability a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, Trump continues to face scepticism from voters struggling with persistent financial strain. Still, his administration has recently taken several steps aimed at reducing prices. On Friday, he signed an executive order cutting tariffs on 200 imported food items, including beef, bananas, coffee and orange juice.
The President has also pushed proposals such as tariff-funded USD 2,000 rebate cheques and the introduction of 50-year mortgages as potential long-term relief measures.
According to Al Jazeera, inflation has fallen sharply from its 40-year high of 9.1 per cent recorded during Biden’s tenure but remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2 per cent target. The outlet reported that inflation rose to 3 per cent in October—the first time it reached that mark since January—though many analysts had expected an even sharper rise following Trump’s recent trade moves.
During his address, Trump also praised McDonald’s, a brand he is known to favour, describing it as a symbol of his economic vision. “Together we are fighting for an economy where everybody can win—from the cashier starting her first job to a franchisee opening their first location to the young family in a drive-through line,” he said.
He thanked the company for offering more affordable meals, including the return of value options priced at USD 5 and USD 8, adding, “We’re getting prices down for this country, and there’s no better leader or advocate than McDonald’s.”
