EN
Pete Buttigieg Uses $17.50 Waffle House Meal to Slam Trump’s Tariffs, Says Americans are 'Paying the Price'
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized President Donald Trump’s economic policies, arguing that tariffs and rising transportation costs have made everyday food more expensive for Americans.
Buttigieg Blames Trump’s Tariffs
On Wednesday, in a post on X, Buttigieg wrote, "We’re all paying the price after Republicans increased the cost of living — look no further than an order at Waffle House."
In a video accompanying the post, Buttigieg used a $17.50 Waffle House meal to illustrate rising costs, pointing to the prices of coffee, beef, eggs and other ingredients.
He blamed Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazil for contributing to higher coffee prices, arguing that costs remained elevated even after the tariff was removed.
"Just because you get rid of a tariff doesn’t mean the price always goes back to where it was," Buttigieg said.
He also pointed to rising beef prices amid a cattle shortage, arguing that tariffs added to the pressure. He said the administration’s efforts to import beef from Argentina had failed to bring prices back to previous levels.
Diesel Costs Push Up Food Prices
Buttigieg further cited higher egg prices and diesel costs, arguing that increased transportation expenses had pushed up the cost of delivering food and other supplies to restaurants.
"The trucking companies charge more, they pass that cost on to a place like Waffle House. They got to pass that on more to the customer," Buttigieg said.
He argued that higher transportation costs ultimately made food more expensive for consumers and urged voters to support Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.
Pelosi, Hassett Clash Over Affordability
On Tuesday, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blamed Trump and Republicans for rising household costs, citing tariffs, the Iran war and cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
She warned that voters could hold Republicans accountable in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett dismissed the affordability crisis as "a myth," arguing that Americans were "a trillion dollars better off" since Trump took office after adjusting for inflation.
He cited rising consumption, higher incomes and capital spending, and predicted gasoline prices would soon fall.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock