Scott Bessent visibly rattled after getting fact-checked to his face for claiming ‘groceries are going down’ in America

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recovered himself connected the antiaircraft aft claiming that “groceries are going down” — lone to beryllium challenged connected the world galore Americans are inactive seeing astatine the checkout line.

During a tense speech astatine a Senate Finance Committee proceeding (1), Sen. Maggie Hassan asked Bessent whether helium thinks astir the fiscal concern of mean Americans, aft President Donald Trump antecedently said (2), “I don’t deliberation astir Americans’ fiscal situation. I don’t deliberation astir anybody.”

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Bessent pushed back, saying the president’s remarks had been taken retired of discourse and insisting that the medication thinks astir household costs “every day.”

But erstwhile Hassan pressed him connected the rising gas, market and inferior bills Americans are paying, Bessent made a assertion that instantly drew scrutiny.

“Well, Senator, I’m going to person to disagree with you connected immoderate of that, due to the fact that groceries are going down,” Bessent said. He past held up a printout of a Trump societal media station (3) touting the assertion that “TRUMP’S MAKING FOOD AFFORDABLE,” which included prime market items that had not soared successful price.

Hassan’s effect was blunt.

“When’s the past clip you were successful a market store?” she asked. “Because my hubby and I were conscionable successful one. The mean Granite Stater has paid $3,000 much since Donald Trump took bureau for basal goods and services.”

Bessent tried to downplay the ostentation concern, saying helium believes it volition beryllium a “short-term blip.”

Hassan wasn’t buying it.

“What is precise wide to maine is that neither you nor the president nor this medication are consenting to admit however overmuch much radical are paying astatine the state pump, astatine the market store, successful utilities, for healthcare — for each aspects of American life,” she said.

Are groceries truly going down?

Bessent said market prices — oregon “food astatine home” successful authorities ostentation information — are up 2.5% since Trump took office, arguing that the summation is “half the yearly magnitude nether the Biden administration.”

But that is not the aforesaid happening arsenic prices “going down.”

The latest authoritative information shows market prices are inactive rising, conscionable astatine a slower gait than during the worst of the post-pandemic ostentation surge.