Trump dodges blame, points finger at Biden for inflation surge in January, labels it 'Biden Inflation'
World news | Know how US President Donald Trump shifted blame to Joe Biden for the January inflation surge, labelling it as Biden Inflation, amid rising economic challenges.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Feb 12) wasted no time in pointing fingers at his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, for last month's unexpected rise in inflation.
Attempting to shift political blame to Biden early in his second term, Trump posted on his Truth Social account: "BIDEN INFLATION UP!"
US inflation
Fresh data from the Labour Department showed that the consumer price index (CPI) climbed 3.0 per cent in January compared to a year ago, slightly above economists' estimates. Core inflation also edged up to 3.3 per cent over the past 12 months.
Shortly after the numbers were released, Trump took to Truth Social to vent. "BIDEN INFLATION UP!" he declared, even though 12 days of the month in question fell under his own administration.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, telling reporters, "It's far worse than I think anybody anticipated because unfortunately, the previous administration was not transparent in where the economy truly was."
Inflation woes
As per the data, inflation increased by 0.5 per cent in January from a month earlier, while core inflation rose by 0.4 per cent.
Trump made inflation a key talking point during his campaign, relentlessly criticising Biden's economic policies. Now, with inflation ticking up under his watch, he faces the challenge of proving he can rein it in.
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As per AFP, essential items saw notable price jumps with the cost of eggs, hit by an avian flu outbreak, spiking more than 15 per cent in the biggest monthly surge since June 2015. Gasoline prices also climbed, alongside other everyday expenses that carry political weight.
Slamming Trump on his campaign promises vs the reality, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said: "President Trump campaigned on lowering costs for working families but today's inflation data highlights how he is failing to deliver on that promise".
(With inputs from agencies)
