Today’s Producer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a familiar story for families across the country: prices are rising, fast, with no indication they’ll come down anytime soon. Producer prices jumped 0.5% over the last month and are running hot at a 2.9% increase over the past year. In addition, service prices posted their sharpest monthly jump since July 2025.
This is not a one-time price adjustment as promised by the Trump administration. It’s a clear pattern that is choking family finances and hammering small businesses on Main Street.
The hot inflation report is concerning, but the pipeline data makes the situation worse. Fueled by Trump’s chaotic tariff policies, early-stage production prices are up 4.0% over the past year, and nonferrous metals surged 4.8% in a single month. These costs don’t exist in a vacuum; they become the higher prices Americans pay at the grocery store, the gas station, and the pharmacy.
Instead of helping working-class families navigate his chaotic economy, Trump is freezing Medicaid funds and slashing food assistance. He’s gutting the programs working families depend on solely as political payback against the communities that didn’t vote for him.
“American families are being hit from both directions. Trump’s reckless tariff policies and chaotic governance are driving prices up, and he is systematically dismantling the benefits families depend on to survive hard times,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Brandon Weathersby. “Trump promised to lower prices on Day One. Instead, he’s making sure that when prices hit hardest, Americans have less help to fall back on.”
Published: Feb 27, 2026 | Last Modified: Mar 13, 2026