Word “groceries” came up again in Trump’s tariff announcement

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The word “groceries” came up again during President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement on Wednesday, drawing responses that have ranged from humorous to incredulous.

Noting that he used the word during his presidential campaign, he reflected on his fascination with it again: “It’s such an old-fashioned term but a beautiful term: groceries. So, it’s a bag with a lot of different things in it.”

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He spoke about campaigning on increased grocery prices and claimed during his speech that they have come down since his return to power. “Groceries went through the roof and I campaigned on that. I talked about the word ‘groceries’ for a lot, and energy costs now are down. Groceries are down.”

However, there is no evidence supporting his statement that grocery prices are falling. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Price Outlook, updated on March 25, reports that grocery costs are expected to rise faster than the average rate of growth this year.

An analysis from Washington politics and policy newspaper, The Hill, seems to bear this out. Trump’s tariff plan “could cost households more than $3,000,” the newspaper wrote in an April 2 post on X.

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Many users questioned Trump’s description of “groceries” as old-fashioned, interpreting it as a sign of his detachment from everyday shopping.

Late-night TV shows such as “The Daily Show” have featured comedic segments about Trump’s remarks, using satire to critique his fixation on the term.

“I mean who uses that word, except everybody all the time,” said host Michael Kosta during the Wednesday night episode of the show. “You might think Trump never heard the word ‘groceries’ until the 2024 campaign, and just thought this might be a new slang word…There is actually no other word for it.”

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Online conversation pointed to the expectation that Trump’s tariffs will increase prices further in the U.S.

Robert Reich, professor, author and commentator who served as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton, posted on X that the word groceries “may feel ‘old-fashioned’ now, but Trump campaigned on lowering grocery costs. His economic policies are going to send them skyrocketing.”

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Democratic Senator Mark Kelly asked “what exactly is he liberating Americans from, our savings and 401Ks? His tariffs are going to be a giant tax on American families, raising the price of groceries, housing, cars, and so much more.”

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New Mexico congresswoman Melanie Stansbury questioned Trump’s use of “Liberation Day” for yesterday’s imposition of international tariffs, writing on X that the tariffs will “liberate Americans from their hard-earned cash and…make groceries more expensive.”

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Some Americans simply shared their current experience of rising prices as a counter to Trump’ claims. Matthew Travis, a military veteran and mechanical engineer from Minnesota wrote on X: “Last week gas was $2.79 a gallon. This morning gas is $3.29. Groceries prices are still rising…”

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While Trump has used “groceries” as a populist talking point, many Americans associate Trump’s tariff policies with higher grocery prices, which has led to significant dissatisfaction. For example, 70 per cent of respondents in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll said they believe tariffs will increase the cost of groceries and everyday goods.

His aggressive trade measures, in particular tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, have been criticized for exacerbating inflation. This has contributed to a decline in his approval ratings on economic management, with 56 per cent disapproving of his handling of the economy.

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