Trump Has Quit Talking About Inflation: It's Easy to Guess Why

The US leader tends to change the topic whenever it is brought up

- NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON is a politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.

President Donald Trump has taken a sledgehammer to the US federal government, renamed the Gulf of Mexico, revived plastic straws and pledged to own Gaza, but has done little to address inflation. This issue was among voters' top concerns and helped Trump win. In fact, a study showed that the very mention of inflation, which Trump often did, caused a loss of confidence in the Biden-Harris administration.

Well, it seems voters are of two minds when it comes to Trump's first weeks in office. He has high approval ratings, but survey respondents said Trump is not focusing enough on lowering prices. That poll suggests possible peril for Trump and his Republican allies—and an opening for Democrats, who are searching for ways to counter Trump, who ordered "heads of all executive departments and agencies to deliver emergency price relief," in an executive order. Yet, Trump tends to duck the price question, as seen in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier.

"So, if all goes to plan, when do you think families would be able to feel prices going down, groceries, energy?" asked Baier. "Or are you kind of saying to them, 'Hang on, inflation may get worse, until it gets better'?"