The Trump administration is hiding job-creation data during the Republican shutdown and cherry-picking favorable datasets to release to the public. Even the newest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, likely selected to make Trump’s economy look better than it is, shows that prices continue to rise, squeezing working families already struggling to make ends meet.
Costs have risen 2.9% over the past year. Food prices are 3.2% higher than a year ago, shelter costs are up 3.6% over the last year, and used car prices spiked 6% over the last year. Core inflation, which excludes volatile price categories, is up 3.1% annually, showing that the cost of essentials remains stubbornly high.
Despite Trump’s promises of relief, American families are seeing their purchasing power shrink. And with food assistance cut off, Head Start programs unfunded, and other benefit delays set to take effect in November, the financial pressure will only grow. As inflation persists and safety net programs shrink, millions of Americans are being forced to choose between paying rent, putting food on the table, and covering basic needs. Under Trump’s leadership, the cost of living keeps rising, and the cost of his broken promises keeps getting higher.
“Trump has created the perfect storm for working families, with a terrible jobs market, rising prices, and benefit cuts all hitting at once,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Brandon Weathersby. “Instead of delivering relief, he is delivering chaos. Families are working harder than ever just to fall further behind, and Trump’s policies are making it impossible to catch up.”
Published: Oct 24, 2025 | Last Modified: Nov 13, 2025