Trump said beef, egg and chicken prices are falling. Here's what the data shows
#Trump #State of the Union #beef prices #egg prices #chicken prices #inflation #bird flu #agriculture economics
📌 Key Takeaways
- Beef prices have increased 22% since Trump took office, reaching record highs
- Egg prices have fallen 59% but due to market factors after bird flu outbreak, not federal policy
- Chicken prices have increased by 1%, contrary to Trump's claims
- Low cattle supply at 1961 levels and increased demand are driving beef prices up
📖 Full Retelling
President Donald Trump claimed during his State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. on February 24, 2026, that his administration's policies were rapidly ending high prices for proteins like beef, chicken, and eggs. However, data analysis reveals a more complex picture: beef prices have actually increased significantly since Trump took office in January 2025, with ground beef reaching a record high of $6.75 per pound in January 2026, a 22% increase from the previous year. While egg prices have indeed fallen approximately 59% from their peak in March 2025, this decline is attributed more to market factors following a historic bird flu outbreak rather than federal policy interventions. Chicken prices have also slightly increased by about 1% over the past year, contradicting Trump's assertion that they have decreased substantially. The Trump administration has simultaneously announced new nutrition guidelines emphasizing protein, full-fat dairy, and vegetables, framing it as 'ending the war on protein,' while economists attribute price movements to supply-and-demand dynamics specific to each market rather than direct policy impacts.
🏷️ Themes
Economic Policy, Food Prices, Agriculture Markets
📚 Related People & Topics
State of the Union
Annual report by the president of the United States
The State of the Union address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The speech generally includes reports...
Donald Trump
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021. Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...
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Original Source
In this article TSN VITL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night that his administration's policies were "rapidly ending" high prices for certain foods, including proteins in the U.S. diet, like beef, chicken and eggs. However, prices for chicken and beef have increased since Trump took office in January 2025. Egg prices have indeed fallen significantly — but, like beef prices, have been influenced more by supply-and-demand factors specific to those markets than federal policy, according to agricultural economists. The price moves also come as the Trump administration said it was "ending the war on protein" by announcing new U.S. nutrition guidelines that emphasize protein, full-fat dairy and vegetables. "President Trump is right: inflation has cooled, and prices of many everyday essentials have fallen or are on the right trajectory," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in an emailed statement. "The entire Administration remains laser-focused on delivering economic relief for the American people." Beef prices have increased during Trump's second term Trump said during his State of the Union address that beef prices are "starting to come down significantly." Federal data shows that beef prices have started to decline in some cases, but remain near multi-year or record highs. A pound of ground beef cost $6.75 per pound , on average, in January — the highest level on record, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices have increased 22% over the past year, from $5.55 per pound in January 2025, when Trump started his second term. That's the fastest annual inflation rate since June 2020, during Trump's first term in office. Read more CNBC personal finance coverage Trump pitches new retirement plan with a match of up to $1,000 — w...
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