Where's the beef? Brunswick Beacon

Brunswick Beacon, 07.31.25

For many Americans, it’s become too pricey to put on their plates. June’s Consumer Price Index shows that since Trump took office, steak jumped 9% to $9.26/pound. Ground beef surged 11% to $6.12/pound. Both are record highs.

Before the election, Trump pledged: “Starting on Day One, we will end inflation, and we will make America affordable again.” After he won, like the dog that caught the car, he realized he’d bitten off more than he could chew. Trump went from saying, “We're going to bring those prices way down" to "I'd like to bring them down. It's hard to bring things down once they're up. You know, it's very hard." 

Forget about bringing prices down: Trump’s trade war made inflation worse! Suppose you decide you can’t afford beef anymore, and figure you’ll switch to chicken. The average cost of fresh, whole chicken last month hit an all-time high of $2.09 per pound.

What if you can’t afford meat and have to go vegan? Bananas hit a record-breaking $0.66/pound in May because of Trump’s tariffs on banana-growing countries. Tomatoes are among the most widely consumed fruits or vegetables in the U.S. About 70% of our fresh tomatoes are imported, mostly from Mexico. They just got much more expensive because, on July 14, Trump pulled out of the agreement “he signed” in 2019 and slapped an immediate 17% tariff on Mexican tomatoes! 

Trump promised to beat inflation by “getting your energy bill within 12 months down 50%.” Half-a-year later, energy costs have gone up, not down. Gasoline is up over 5%, and natural gas has jumped nearly 9% under Trump.  Electricity prices are at record highs and headed higher because Trump killed ongoing programs to develop cheap, clean, renewable energy. That will cost NC consumers another $490/year. 

So, the next time you bite into a Big Mac or Chick-Fil-A, remember that Donald Trump already took a big, juicy, mouth-watering bite out of your wallet.

Laura McGann

Leland