Goodbye to egg price cuts: Trump repeatedly promised to lower food prices, but instead “focused on mass deportations”

On Wednesday, February 12, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Consumer Price Index report for January. Increases in egg prices are expected in the report as the cost of the carton continues to increase. Though President Trump centered inflation and the cost of groceries in his campaign, very little has been done on this front since he took office.

In less than a month, the Trump administration has upended life for many in Washington and across the country. Federal workers have been placed on leave or pressured to resign, organizations that receive federal funding for healthcare and educational services are under threat of losing financial support, and immigrant communities are being terrorized by immigration agents aiming to meet deportation quotas set by the White House.

As households follow these developments and brace for the potential economic hardship stemming from a looming trade war—should President Trump act on his threats to impose tariffs on key trading partners—they continue to feel the strain of the escalating cost of living on their budgets. Meanwhile, despite executive orders directing government agencies, which have limited personnel, to respond to inflation, there have been few substantive actions taken by the executive branch.

Egg prices have become a central example of the cost of living crisis facing families. Over the last year, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture, the price of a dozen large white eggs has increased 161 percent to an average of $7.85. Several factors have contributed to this increase, notably the spread of avian flu, which has led to the culling of millions of hens, thus limiting supply while demand has remained constant.

Democrats blast Trump for his lack of focus on inflation

Though largely ineffectual, some members of the Democratic party are calling attention to the Trump administration’s inadequate response to inflation. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and a handful of other Democrats sent a letter to the White House, parts of which were made public by NBC News, criticizing the failure to fulfill campaign promises to “lower food prices ‘immediately.’”

“But during your first week in office, you have instead focused on mass deportations and pardoning January 6 attackers,” wrote the Democratic leaders. The leaders also warned the White House that the avian flu and the public confusion surrounding the outbreak could allow companies to engage in price gouging.

The letter did not focus much on the impact that deportations could have on inflation, though many economists have made the connection. Immigrant labor is a fundamental component of the US food production system. The exploitation these workers face to keep costs low is an open secret in Washington, DC. With the White House ordering mass deportations, egg farms that employ undocumented workers could find themselves with a smaller staff, potentially leading to further production issues at a time when prices are already high. These workers may choose to stay home out of fear of being arrested by immigration officers at their workplace. The failure and unwillingness of Democrats to humanize, protect, and reward the millions of immigrant workers who ensure families can put food on their tables is a contributing factor to the current situation.

What could be done to reduce the price of eggs?

Democrats have not been clear about how they would address the cost of living crisis. Regarding eggs, measures like price controls to reduce household expenditure would be necessary but are not favored by many members of Congress. Price controls could require the federal government to reimburse egg producers whose costs have increased dramatically in the short term until the virus and other inflationary issues within the market are resolved. Congress could also offer incentives to increase egg imports or earmark funds to increase domestic production, but these solutions will not reduce prices immediately.

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