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Lawmakers to Trump: How about those lower grocery prices?Lawmakers to Trump: How about those lower grocery prices?
Democrats are holding the president’s feet to the fire via a recent letter
3 Min Read
In a letter sent to Trump on Sunday evening, some 21 Democratic congressmen and women chastised Trump for not doing more to swiftly address high grocery prices.Getty Images
During his campaign, President Donald Trump said he would work to lower food prices “immediately” once he took office. Now, some members of Congress are wasting no time calling for action on that front.
In a letter sent to Trump on Sunday evening, some 21 Democratic congressmen and women chastised Trump for not doing more to swiftly address high grocery prices.
“Americans are looking to you to lower food prices,” the letter reads. “Instead of working to lower their grocery bills, however, you spent the first week of your administration attempting to end birthright citizenship, pardoning individuals who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and renaming a mountain.
“We urge you to fulfill your campaign promise to lower food prices for American families.”
The letter outlined six recommendations as to how to accomplish this:
Encourage the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prohibit exclusionary contracting by dominant firms in the food industry, making it harder for major retailers and food brands to shut out smaller suppliers and drive up prices at smaller stores
Encourage the FTC to issue guidance on potential violations of the Robinson Patman Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act within the food industry and take enforcement action where needed
Work with the USDA to increase the number of government contract recipients that are very small businesses and ensure government contracting considers the long-term costs of food sector consolidation
Help the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FTC scrutinize, and where appropriate, block mergers and acquisitions in the food and agriculture sectors.
Encourage the DOJ to prosecute those in the agricultural and food sectors for price-fixing and other anticompetitive behavior
Direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and FTC to form a joint task force to investigate food price manipulation throughout the supply chain
Americans have been feeling the pain of inflation for years now, but certain categories have also seen even further price hikes in recent months. The price of eggs has skyrocketed since the beginning of the new year, as a severe bird flu outbreak has caused prices to hit their highest level since 2022. Retail egg prices increased 8.4% month over month and 36.8% year-over-year in December 2024. Egg prices are expected to rise over 20% in 2025, according to the USDA. Prices for beef and veal, dairy, fresh fruits, and nonalcoholic beverages will also increase this year, the USDA has said.
When asked at her first press conference why prices have skyrocketed since President Trump took office, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt placed the blame on the prior administration on Tuesday.
“There is a lot of reporting out there that is putting the onus on this White House for the increased cost of eggs,” she said. “In 2024 when Joe Biden was in office … egg prices increased 65% in this country. We’ve also seen the cost of everything, not just eggs … bacon, groceries, gasoline … have increased because of the inflationary policies of the last administration.”
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