So what did Trump do to fulfill his great promise to reduce prices in the United States (and did he achieve it?)

He explained that Trump’s tariffs raise the prices of some foods. One-third of the coffee consumed in the United States comes from Brazil and is therefore subject to a 50% tariff.

Ortega adds that Trump’s campaign against illegal immigration may also have had an impact, especially in agriculture, where it is estimated that up to 40% of workers – about 1 million people – are undocumented.

Farmers and businesses will have to raise wages to attract more workers, although there is currently no data that allows us to measure these effects in terms of price increases.

Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, believes changes in tariff and immigration policies have contributed to higher costs.

“There is no doubt that these changes are beginning to manifest as inflationary pressures,” he said.

He added that other factors, such as weather phenomena, also contributed.

He explained, “With regard to coffee, there were climate problems that left a very bad growing season, a situation that was exacerbated by the customs duties imposed on Brazil and Colombia.”

A White House official said Verified by BBC That President Trump does not control weather patterns in South America and that rising coffee prices are a global phenomenon.

Coffee data shows prices rose globally, peaking in February, but are now falling.

The same official indicated that the president is addressing the rise in beef prices by temporarily increasing imports.

Although food prices have risen in general, not all of them have become more expensive.

When Trump succeeded Biden in January, the price of a dozen large eggs was $4.93, reaching an all-time high of $6.23 in March after the bird flu outbreak.

Prices have since dropped to $3.49 a dozen.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said, “President Trump’s supply policies are controlling the inflation crisis that Joe Biden is suffering from.”

Other items whose prices have fallen over the past 12 months include butter and margarine (-2%), ice cream (-0.7%) and frozen vegetables (-0.7%).

During his election campaign, Trump promised to significantly reduce electricity bills.

“Under my administration, we will cut energy and electricity prices in half within 12 months, at most 18 months,” he announced at a rally in August 2024.

However, since he took office, prices have risen.

The latest numbers show the average residential electricity price reached 17.62 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in August 2025, up from 15.94 in January 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“It was technically impossible (to cut prices in half) when the promise was made,” said Professor James Sweeney of Stanford University’s Precourt Energy Institute.

He explained that electricity prices reflect not only the cost of generating it, but also the cost of distributing it via “cables, transformers, etc.”

Professor Sweeney attributes this increase to supply and demand issues.

He added: “We have a sudden increase in demand, mainly driven by data centers. And those who make images using artificial intelligence consume large amounts of electricity.”

He added that cuts in renewable energy subsidies and tariffs on imported steel – which make it more expensive to build new power plants – also contributed to higher prices.

Swonk agrees that the rise of artificial intelligence is driving up prices, especially for low-income people.

“This exacerbates inequality, because consumers with greater access to solar panels and renewable energy tend to belong to wealthier households,” he noted.

In response, a White House official stated that Trump was promoting coal, natural gas, and nuclear power generation, which he said was “the only viable way to meet growing energy demand and lower energy prices.”

At a campaign rally in September 2024, Trump extended his promise to lower food prices for cars, telling supporters: “We’re going to lower the prices of… food, cars, everything.”

However, the average price of a new vehicle exceeded $50,000 for the first time in September, compared to $48,283 in January, according to Kelley Blue Book, a US vehicle valuation company.

Erin Keating of Cox Automotive explained that vehicle prices typically rise by 2% to 3% annually.

“Tariffs, which have been the most important factor in the auto industry over the past 12 months, have done nothing but cause inflation,” he added.

He explained that new car prices rise by about 4% annually, and that tariffs contribute no less than one percentage point.

He added: “We believe that prices will rise further in 2026, as most manufacturers refrain from raising prices directly due to tariffs, but sooner or later they will have to do so.”

Keating pointed to tax breaks for residents included in Trump’s spending bill, which he believes could stimulate new car purchases.

In response to a question about the rise in car prices, a White House official said: Verified by BBC The government has taken historic regulatory action to “reverse far-left energy fraud and save billions annually”.

Trump specifically promised during his election campaign to “reduce the price of gasoline to less than $2 a gallon.”

On the day he took office, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $3,125, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Although he is far from fulfilling his promise to lower prices to less than $2, the price of a gallon of gasoline has fallen to a national average of $3,079.

In response, a White House official directed us to a gasoline price comparison website, which shows a national average of $2.97 per gallon, which is slightly lower compared to AAA data.

The official added that President Trump quickly boosted the US economy with the goal of making gasoline affordable to families across the country again.

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