Overview
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported May consumer prices rose 4.2%, the highest annual rate since 2023, a reading that many outlets published on Wednesday.
- When asked about the report the president told reporters “I love the inflation,” a comment that quickly went viral and became the focal point of cable panels and news coverage.
- Economists and data analysts cited the administration’s tariffs and the war with Iran as drivers of higher energy and goods prices that have wiped out wage gains for many households.
- The remark prompted rare on-air rebukes from some conservative voices, public criticism from figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene, and defensive explanations by other GOP commentators.
- Polling and voter interviews show growing financial anger among working-class Trump supporters, and analysts such as CNN’s Harry Enten warned the gaffe could materially increase Republican losses in the 2026 midterms.