(AFP) – In a rare departure from the Trump administration’s typically triumphant tone, US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday acknowledged that consumer inflation was “not great” in April. US year-on-year consumer inflation came in at 3.8 percent in April, a three-year high, fueled by energy price increases due to US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
On Wednesday, the government reported wholesale price inflation of six percent year-on-year, its highest level since December 2022, with analysts warning high fuel prices were beginning to have knock-on effects on other products. “Yes, the inflation number last month was not great,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “We know that we have a lot of work to do in order to deliver on the prosperity that the American people deserve.”
Vance said Trump was “hyper aware” of the issue. A day earlier, Trump had insisted high inflation was only “short term.” Asked by a reporter if Americans’ financial situation motivated him to make a peace deal with Iran, Trump offered a robust response on Tuesday. “Not even a little bit. That only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran: they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation, I don’t think about anybody.”
Asked about the president’s statements, Vance denied the president said the words and insisted the question was a “misrepresentation” of Trump’s quote. With campaigning for November midterm elections in full swing, Democratic Party leaders seized on Trump’s words to accuse the Republican of indifference to the soaring cost of living.
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