Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Have prices increased 40 percent to 50 percent since Trump left office?

Bar graph of shopping carts
Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images

This fact brief was originally published by Wisconsin Watch. Read the original here. Fact briefs are published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network, and republished by The Fulcrum. Visit Gigafact to learn more.

Have prices increased 40 percent to 50 percent since Trump left office?

No.

Cumulative inflation since former President Donald Trump left office in January 2021 through May 2024 was 20.1 percent according to data from the Federal Reserve’s Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, or CPI-U.

Trump told a crowd on June 18 in Racine, Wis., that "real inflation" is more than twice that.


Americans have experienced significant price increases since Biden took office, but they aren’t close to the 40-50% inflation that Trump suggested. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the pandemic have been the main causes of inflation during Biden’s presidency.

Inflation is measured by a price index to examine the change in prices of many different goods and services. The CPI-U is one of the most common ways to measure inflation. This system is based on spending patterns of urban consumers and measures the monthly change in prices paid for a theoretical market basket of goods and services.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average (CPIAUCNS)

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

CNBC Trump attacks Biden for 'through the roof' prices—here's how much they've actually risen since 2021

CNBC Why is inflation so high? An economist explains why everyday essentials cost more

CNBC Why is inflation so high? An economist explains why everyday essentials cost more

National Bureau of Economic Research Unpacking the Causes of Pandemic-Era Inflation in the US

Federal Reserve System What is inflation and how does the Federal Reserve evaluate changes in the rate of inflation?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Frequently Asked Questions : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Read More

Did We Learn or Not? Why There Can Be No Going Back on COVID Lessons
blue and white plastic bottle

Did We Learn or Not? Why There Can Be No Going Back on COVID Lessons

Five years ago this month, COVID-19 changed the world. The first pandemic in a century altered how Americans saw themselves, each other, work, healthcare, relationships, government, mortality, and media. It tangled everyone across the globe in webs of fear, conflict, grief, disbelief, estrangement, and gratitude.

It prompted a parallel pandemic of disinformation that has only deepened in the years since and crescendoed in the last few months. It is foolish to ignore the impact of these past five years on every person in this country and the world, particularly with current policies and practices that ignore this distinct past.

Keep ReadingShow less
Holding Trump Accountable: He’s NOT the Emperor
shallow focus photography white crown hanging decor
Photo by Megan Watson on Unsplash

Holding Trump Accountable: He’s NOT the Emperor

Publishers' Notes:: Our challenge as a publication, dedicated to keeping our readers informed so we can repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives, is not to be overly reactive or partisan. At the same time, we must not ignore the dangers of the administration's degrading, hostile, and accusatory language and actions when they occur. We invite you to read this column outlining our editorial position covering the Trump administration by clickingHERE.

Not every column represents the editorial focus of the Fulcrum. However, consistent with our mission, the column below represents a commitment to sharing many perspectives to widen our readers' viewpoints.

Keep ReadingShow less
FEMA’s disaster relief practices under Biden administration spark legislation

A sign marks the location of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters building on January 29, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Getty Images, J. David Ake

FEMA’s disaster relief practices under Biden administration spark legislation

From 1995 until COVID hit, Scott Harding led student groups to volunteer in areas affected by natural disasters through the National Relief Network (NRN).

Harding, who also founded NRN, said he has taken groups across the country to disaster sites in his time and noticed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives, a group helping communities in the United States recover from natural disasters. But Harding said what he calls a “Biden Administration phenomenon,” caused by the Democratic culture in the nation’s capital, has politicized the disaster relief process.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump to the Nation: "We're Just Getting Started"

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is speaking about the early achievements of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda.

(Photo by Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images)

Trump to the Nation: "We're Just Getting Started"

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, emphasizing that his administration is “just getting started” in the wake of a contentious beginning to his second term. Significant themes, including substantial cuts to the federal workforce, shifts in traditional American alliances, and the impact of an escalating trade war on markets, characterized his address.

In his speech, Trump highlighted his actions over the past six weeks, claiming to have signed nearly 100 executive orders and taken over 400 executive actions to restore “common sense, safety, optimism, and wealth” across the country. He articulated that the electorate entrusted him with the leadership role and stressed that he was fulfilling that mandate.

Keep ReadingShow less