‘You might think Trump never heard the word ‘groceries’ until the 2024 campaign … There is actually no other word for it,’ said American host of The Daily Show Michael Kosta
“You might think Trump never heard the word ‘groceries’ until the 2024 campaign … There is actually no other word for it,” said one late night host
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,” he said during his announcement of massive new tariffs at the White House.
“So, it’s a bag with a lot of different things in it. Groceries went through the roof and I campaigned on that. I talked about the word ‘groceries’ for a lot.”
Many online 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.”
One mom, who calls herself Sunday_Gurl, poked fun of Trump’s description of “groceries” as old-fashioned by posting this image on X:
A men’s fashion writer, Derek Guy, took a similar tact in poking fun at Trump with a humorous graphic:
A Maryland father echoed the comments made on the Daily Show, asking: “What else can you call them besides “groceries“ by the way?”
Some 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.”
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.”
Some Americans responded to his speech by sharing 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…”
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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