The Department of Justice has approved Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, clearing one of the biggest regulatory obstacles to a deal that would reshape the entertainment industry.
According to reports from <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/12/paramount-acquisition-warner-bros-approved-00960300?_sp_pass_consent=true">Politico</a> and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/12/paramount-wbd-merger-approval-doj.html">CNBC</a>, the DOJ&#8217;s Antitrust Division concluded the transaction does not pose a threat to competition and declined to challenge the merger.
The decision paves the way for Paramount to merge with the media giant behind CNN, HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures, TBS, TNT, and other major entertainment brands, creating one of the world&#8217;s largest media companies.
The approval is expected to be formally announced on Friday.
Federal regulators reportedly approved the deal without requiring Paramount to divest any assets or accept behavioral remedies, conditions that often accompany major media mergers.
The merger has been among the most closely watched antitrust reviews of President Donald Trump&#8217;s second term because of its size and its potential impact on the media landscape.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, son of Oracle founder and Trump ally Larry Ellison, reportedly met personally with DOJ officials multiple times during the review process. According to Politico, Ellison spent roughly two hours meeting with Antitrust Division officials and career attorneys several weeks ago to discuss the transaction and its competitive effects.
Throughout the review, Paramount argued that the merger would strengthen competition by creating a larger media company capable of competing against streaming giants and technology firms that increasingly dominate the entertainment business.
Earlier this year, Netflix briefly pursued its own acquisition proposal for Warner Bros. Discovery before dropping out of the bidding process. According to CNBC, Paramount&#8217;s offer values Warner Bros. Discovery at approximately $31 per share.
Despite the federal approval, the deal still faces additional scrutiny.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, continues to investigate the transaction and could attempt to challenge the merger in court. Attorneys general from several states, including California and New York, monitored portions of the federal review process.
&#8220;The Paramount acquisition of Warner Brothers remains an active investigation,&#8221; a spokesperson for Bonta&#8217;s office told Politico.
The merger must also receive approval from European regulators before it can be finalized. The European Union has opened its own review and set a July deadline for its initial assessment.
On Wednesday, Paramount announced that Australia&#8217;s competition regulator had <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/06/paramount-wbd-mergerl-clears-australia-1236952390/">approved the transaction</a>.
Critics of the merger have warned that it could lead to another round of consolidation-related layoffs across Hollywood. Industry unions and some entertainment advocates have argued that the combined company would likely pursue significant cost-cutting measures.
For Paramount and the Ellisons, the DOJ&#8217;s decision represents a major victory after months of regulatory scrutiny. The company has said it expects the transaction to close by September if all remaining approvals are secured.

In this photo illustration, the Paramount logo is seen

Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Clears Major Hurdle

Anti-trust

Antitrust

Business

Economy

Entertainment

Hollywood

justice department

Paramount

Warner Bros

Warner Brothers

Inflation ticked up to 4.2% in May, according to data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
The <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">4.2%</a> increase was in line with expectations, with analysts predicting a 0.4 percentage-point increase from April&#8217;s 3.8% annual rate. The inflation increase was driven primarily by higher energy costs as oil prices surged amid tensions in the Middle East. The inflation report showed energy prices accounted for more than 60% of the monthly increase in the Consumer Price Index, with gasoline prices rising sharply, up <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">8.6%</a> before seasonal adjustment. Shelter costs also continued to climb, rising 0.3% during the month, while food prices increased 0.2%. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s not a good number,&#8221; former Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/06/10/former-dallas-fed-pres-fisher-on-may-cpi-expect-continued-pressure-on-the-fixed-income-market.html">told</a> CNBC. &#8220;I think the consumer is under tremendous pressure, and we&#8217;re just going to have to see if this is going to abate.&#8221; 
Fisher added that if he were Fed chair, he would leave interest rates unchanged for now to allow more time to assess the economy.
Stocks, which are edging lower on the data, started the day with a downward trend after President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116725476229257491">blasted</a> Iran for taking &#8220;too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them.&#8221; 
&#8220;Now they will have to pay the price!!!&#8221; Trump added. 
After Trump&#8217;s message, Brent crude oil futures jumped to around <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-cpi-inflation-06-10-2026/card/trump-post-on-iran-accelerates-stock-sell-off-sends-oil-higher-HJ2tHQj71YFjmz2EFMxF">$93</a> per barrel. Higher energy prices have become the Trump administration’s Achilles&#8217; heel for inflation. Higher energy prices have become a persistent challenge for the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to bring inflation lower. After nearly a month of conflict with Iran, the energy index rose 3.9% in May, up from a 3.8% increase in April.
The latest data continues a trend of steadily rising inflation since February. While Federal Reserve policymakers have signaled patience in recent months, the continued acceleration in prices could complicate the central bank&#8217;s path forward. Investors who had hoped for interest rate cuts later this year are now debating whether officials will instead keep rates elevated for longer, or consider additional rate hikes if inflation remains stubbornly high.

Grocery Store

Inflation Passes Unfavorable Mark For First Time Since 2023

Donald Trump

Inflation

Iran

Trump Administration

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) set out to torch Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over inflation and President Donald Trump&#8217;s military action against Iran during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing Thursday. Instead, she walked straight into an embarrassing trap unable to answer a basic question about American history.
As Chu accused Trump of launching an &#8220;illegal&#8221; war and rattled off price increases, Bessent calmly interupted, asking: &#8220;Congresswoman, who was the president during World War I?&#8221;
Chu blinked.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; she admitted — apparently unaware that Woodrow Wilson, one of the most celebrated Democratic presidents in American history, led the country into that conflict. She tried to pivot: &#8220;Clearly you&#8217;re not answering my question.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The impact of our failed education system just revealed itself in this congressional hearing, and it shows how incompetent people have become.
Bessent: &#8220;Who was the president during World War I?&#8221;
Rep. Chu: &#8220;I don&#8217;t know.&#8221;
This woman is a FEDERAL LEGISLATOR responsible for… <a href="https://t.co/lXaTKAY3BJ">pic.twitter.com/lXaTKAY3BJ</a>
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2062569675045679312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bessent was happy to answer — and then some. He explained that Wilson took the country into World War I on principle, even though Germany hadn&#8217;t directly attacked the United States. The parallel was obvious: sometimes a president makes decisions with an eye toward catastrophic future risks, not just today&#8217;s grocery bill.
&#8220;Americans&#8217; financial situations would be devastated if Iran got a nuclear weapon and there was a permanent, permanent shutdown of the flow of energy out of the Middle East,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;I promise you that.&#8221;
Then he systematically dismantled Chu&#8217;s inflation narrative, number by number.
When Chu triumphantly declared beef was up 15%, tomatoes up 40%, and bread and milk up 8% and 5% — then twisted the knife with &#8220;I know that would be hard for a billionaire like you to imagine&#8221; — Bessent didn&#8217;t flinch.
&#8220;Food at home is up 2.5% since President Trump took office,&#8221; he replied. &#8220;I know that&#8217;s an inconvenient fact for you. You&#8217;re from California — maybe you care about avocado prices, maybe you want them higher — but they&#8217;re down 19%.&#8221; He landed the kill shot: &#8220;You don&#8217;t get to pick and choose. It is a basket, and the basket is up 2.5%. During the Biden era, it was 5%.&#8221;
When Chu insisted wages weren&#8217;t keeping up, Bessent was equally blunt: &#8220;I&#8217;m afraid you&#8217;re incorrect. We had real wage increases every month since President Trump took office except for the month of April. I know the facts don&#8217;t align with your narrative — you&#8217;re entitled to your opinion, not your own facts.&#8221;
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) piled on afterward, reminding Democrats of their own inconvenient history: &#8220;In the four years of Joe Biden, we had a 25% increase in prices. No way did the wages keep up. The highest gas prices we&#8217;ve seen in the last decade were under Joe Biden — but my colleagues have gotten amnesia.&#8221;
The Democrat who doesn&#8217;t know who Woodrow Wilson was tried to lecture the Treasury Secretary on economic history.
It did not go well.

MixCollage-04-Jun-2026-05-23-PM-3312

HISTORY FAIL: Democrat Attacking Bessent Gets Stumped By Simple Question

Iran war

Judy Chu

Scott Bessent

Woodrow Wilson

Democrat lawmakers are pushing a federal bill to make businesses pay for female workers to take time off for period pain — an issue they&#8217;ve framed through the lens of &#8220;economic violence.&#8221;
The bill, called the Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act, would require employers to provide up to 12 days of paid leave per year for female health issues, including period pain and menopause symptoms, and also covers abortion and vasectomies.  
Notably, the legislation would hit incredibly small businesses, too, even if the owner has as few as five employees. And it&#8217;s backed by abortion giant Planned Parenthood. 
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Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), who attended the presser last month, said women are tired of being told to &#8220;tough it out&#8221; when it comes to their period and suggested the issue is also about ethnicity.
&#8220;While the system is broken for all women, it is in a full blown crisis for Latinas,&#8221; the Democrat said. &#8220;The nationwide 17% of Latinos lack health insurance — more than double the rate of white Americans. Over 20% of adult Latinos in Arizona have been forced to completely avoid medical care because they simply cannot afford it.&#8221;
&#8220;Latinas are the backbone of our workforce, and yet they&#8217;re disproportionately concentrated in low wage and hourly jobs that lack flexible sick leave,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;Forcing a worker to choose between paying her rent or losing a day&#8217;s pay to recover from a grueling gynecological procedure is not a choice; it&#8217;s an economic violence.&#8221;
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), who is sponsoring the Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act, recalled during the presser the pain she&#8217;s experienced from her period.
“Today, we are here to talk about women&#8217;s pain and how long it&#8217;s been overlooked,” Ansari said. “Like most women, I have a very personal experience with reproductive health pain.&#8221;
&#8220;In the summer of 2015, while starting my career in New York City, I woke up on floor of my local bodega drenched in sweat being dragged into an ambulance,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;Two male paramedics hovered over me and continued to ask me if I was pregnant. I had passed out from period pain. Even now, every month, I have days where it feels like barbed wire is tightening inside me. I&#8217;ve taken 2,000 milligrams of ibuprofen in twenty-four hours and still been in tears from the pain. Often end up on the bathroom floor in the fetal position, crying, moaning, or vomiting. Still, I put on a blazer and gone to work.” 
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) is also backing the bill. “I know that many of you understand that we&#8217;re sick and tired of women having to be expected to say, &#8216;suck it up,&#8217; or still perform at the highest level,&#8221; Tlaib said at the presser. &#8220;They&#8217;re expected to show up to work despite incredibly painful periods and sit through meetings after being denied competent health care. And for far too long, women&#8217;s pain has been minimized, ignored, dismissed, and even politicized.”
As highlighted by some online, Democrats like Tlaib are advocates for so-called trans rights, or allowing males who identify as female in women&#8217;s spaces. In fact, Tlaib once said a bill aimed at protecting girls sports was effectively &#8220;legalizing discrimination.&#8221;
However, for this bill, the definition of women has reverted back to reality and biology.
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Screenshot 2026-06-02 at 7.52.06 AM

‘Economic Violence’: Dems Hold Presser Demanding Paid Time Off For Periods

Democrats

Jobs

Women

The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation rose in April to an annual rate of <a href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2026/personal-income-and-outlays-april-2026">3.8%</a>, according to a report from the Commerce Department published on Thursday. 
For the past three months, inflation has risen from 2.8% in February to 3.5% in March, and up to 3.8% in April. 
Part of the Federal Reserve’s mandate is to keep Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation, or PCE inflation, at 2%, meaning April’s reading is nearly two points over target and will likely delay the central bank’s ability to cut rates. Bad PCE data typically leads to the Fed keeping interest rates high, which means it can become more expensive to buy a house, finance a car, or take out a personal loan. Businesses also face higher borrowing costs, causing them to raise the prices that consumers pay for goods and services.
&#8220;With headline inflation closer to 4% than 3%, the Fed continues to walk a tight rope. When adjusted for inflation, spending barely rose in this report,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/april-2026-pce-inflation?%3Fintcmp=tw_fbn&amp;taid=6a183c5a86566d0001e05e21&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">said</a> Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. &#8220;Rising prices are really taking a bite out of consumption, and the decline in the savings rate shows consumers are dipping into savings to make ends meet.&#8221;
The personal savings rate dropped to 2.6% after reaching 3.6% in March. 
Core PCE, which excludes food and energy prices, rose to 3.3%. The Fed closely watches core PCE because removing more volatile food and energy categories provides a clearer picture of underlying inflation trends. Core PCE is now at its highest level since the end of 2023.
Despite elevated inflation, PIMCO economist Tiffany Wilding believes headline inflation could fall significantly if tensions in the Middle East ease. 
“Inflation right now &#8230; looks like a temporary phenomenon. &#8230; History suggests that over time oil prices do mean revert and if you get any sort of decline, any mean reversion, or any sort of deal or moderation in tensions in the Middle East in the back half of this year, you could very well see headline inflation then declining &#8230; even possibly below 2% next year on the year over year basis,” Wilding <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/05/28/inflationary-pressures-outside-of-the-energy-price-surge-look-manageable-pimcos-tiffany-wilding.html">said</a>. 
Both CPI and PCE inflation reports have remained above the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target for the past five years. The inflation report will make it difficult for the central bank to cut interest rates next month, especially when coupled with Thursday’s downward revision of first-quarter GDP growth from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/q1-gross-domestic-product-revision-e1a6ff93">2%</a> to 1.6% on Thursday. 
Many economists had <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/q1-gross-domestic-product-revision-e1a6ff93">expected</a> Q1 GDP to stay at 2%. The report from the Commerce Department said the downward GDP revision was due partly to a lower estimate for inventory investment and lower consumer spending.

The Fed’s Favorite Inflation Reading Spells Bad News For Interest Rate Cuts

Is one of the richest men in the world turning into the next Elon?
In an interview last week, Jeff Bezos went full populist, arguing for slashing government spending and government control, and ending all taxes for anyone who makes under $75,000.
He praised President Donald Trump as &#8220;mature and disciplined,” framing support for the president as being &#8220;on the side of America,&#8221; and giving a full-throated endorsement of capitalism versus socialism.
Now, Bezos has been moving in this direction for a while; he was rabidly anti-Trump in his first term but has since warmed not just to the president, but to populism.
He already moved to Florida for the taxes. Last year, he announced the Washington Post, which he owns, would henceforth advocate &#8220;free markets and individual liberties&#8221; as opposed to the communist Deep State the Post used to advocate.
He infuriated the Post’s liberal readers by refusing to endorse anyone in the 2024 election — which they took as a rebuke of Kamala.
This is all risky in Silicon Valley, where saying nice things about Trump can end your career and certainly end the dinner-party invites. But being worth more than $200 billion gives you some leeway.
And it matters because it would be splendid to have another Elon Musk.
Bezos kicked off his interview by correctly noting that we&#8217;ve got two economies — some call it a K-shaped economy — with lots of people doing great but millions suffering.
But the kicker is that, unlike socialists who want more government control — and more taxes — Bezos wants less.
He would start by ending taxes on anybody making less than $75,000 a year, which would cost shockingly little, just 3% of federal revenue. He rejects hiking taxes on billionaires to cover it — as you&#8217;d expect — saying the government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
Then he went after that spending side, with its regulations and crony handouts.
Bezos cited housing, where federal policy drives up prices through mortgage subsidies while strangling supply with zoning and building regulations.
And education, noting New York schools spend $44,000 per student, yet half of the pupils would require remedial courses to go to college.
And crony capitalism, citing the 10,000-page tax code lovingly bought by corporate lobbyists and the billions Washington hands to corporations.
He didn&#8217;t get into the non-governmental organization industrial complex that siphons your life savings to Left-wing rioters and “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-quality-learing-center-is-officially-closed-state-records-show">Learing Centers</a>,” but he did note that for-profit businesses do much more for the world than most charities.
After all, to build a successful business, you must make people&#8217;s lives better, whether it&#8217;s McDonald’s, Walmart, Amazon, or SpaceX. But to build a successful charity, you have to grab enough money and not fix the problem — that would cause your donations to dry up.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jeff Bezos: &#8220;If I do my job right, the value to society and civilization from my for-profit companies will be much, much larger than the good that I do with my charitable giving.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/3svJ1onmAr">pic.twitter.com/3svJ1onmAr</a>
— CNBC (@CNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/2057085086504218722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bezos is now the latest convert to the Elon bundle — free enterprise, small government, less corruption, and less government control.
Dozens of billionaires — many formerly Left-wing — have now come on-side, including internet pioneer Marc Andreessen, who was terrified by government control of AI, Larry Ellison, who just bought Paramount and CNBC, and a dozen others who worry more about the economy than pronouns.
We&#8217;ll see if Bezos gets as hands-on as Elon. But it&#8217;s encouraging that billionaires are finally turning against the communists who would hang them from a lamp-post.
***
Peter St. Onge, Ph.D., is a senior economist at the Heritage Foundation.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos Chooses Capitalism

DW Opinion

President Donald Trump was elected on a promise to revitalize America’s heartland by reviving the manufacturing industry, which has no doubt seen a steady erosion of jobs under successive administrations. Part of Trump’s grand strategy is tariffs, including Section 232 <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12519">tariffs</a> aimed at making it more expensive to import certain products from abroad, including pharmaceuticals, copper, steel, and aluminum. The legal case for 232 tariffs has been stretched to the limit, and consumers pay for it at car dealerships and in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/business/steel-tariffs-tin-cans-food-prices.html">grocery</a> aisles.
The White House’s central <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/04/trump-effect-american-manufacturing-is-roaring-back-as-factory-activity-hits-four-year-high/">claim</a> is that the steep 50% tariffs will “bring manufacturing back to America — and his [Trump’s] policies are delivering the largest reshoring wave in American history.” But the facts simply don’t bear that out.
Take steel, for example. Has U.S. domestic steel production actually increased because of the Trump administration’s tariffs on imports? Barely. In 2025, American steel production rose by just <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-steel-rebounds-under-trump-124500983.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEfXMuMFy2WUizAXMyDY0C4aMmjIODFTYVz-NQQbsXlUzAL4d6Wudz5UQkADVxA4ARUdNi-A7OX3l3iPrWwOSD3jcxHdpVnZ0jEFEmIHsqeBi2bfcz7c7qgptUuHPiKzpY9X7fUjq4dPCTxndbUpr465F4Vbxyk61ofI5x0IRBTF">3%</a>. Worse still, the Tax Foundation estimates that <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/">104,000</a> U.S. jobs have been lost in relation to Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics has found that every steel job “saved” by the Trump administration’s policies has cost U.S. taxpayers<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-ottawa-must-steel-itself-against-tariffs/"> $650,000</a>. It’s unlikely that voters who backed tariffs envisioned subsidized jobs as costly as the salaries of Wall Street executives or big-city lawyers.
The math is brutal — tariffs protect <a href="https://www.mercatus.org/economic-insights/expert-commentary/steel-and-aluminum-tariffs-do-more-harm-good">one</a> steelworker for every 80 jobs that depend on affordable steel inputs — such as the automotive, rail, and housing sectors. On the consumer side, Canadian jet ski manufacturer BRP Inc. has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-14/sea-doo-maker-brp-gets-crushed-by-us-tariff-changes-pulls-outlook">cut</a> $353 million from its 2027 balance sheet projections due to the tariffs. Summer adventurers looking to buy or rent a Sea-Doo for the lake will inevitably pay more. The same goes for food that requires a tin can, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/business/steel-tariffs-tin-cans-food-prices.html#:~:text=As%20tariffs%20push%20up%20the%20cost%20of%20American%20canned%20goods%2C%20imports%20of%20foreign%20canned%20goods%20are%20rising.%20That%E2%80%99s%20in%20part%20because%20they%20benefit%20from%20a%20loophole%20that%20puts%20American%20canned%20products%20at%20a%20disadvantage%3A%20Imported%20foreign%20cans%20are%20exempt%20from%20the%20steel%20tariffs%20when%20they%20contain%20food.">squeezing domestic suppliers</a> and, perversely, benefiting foreign producers of canned food.
All of this makes Washington’s focus on production rather illogical. Slivers of good news for domestic producers of steel, aluminum, and copper can be devastating for other sectors and consumers.
Affordability is a tricky issue and continues to <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/708905/affordability-dominates-americans-financial-worries.aspx">dominate</a> voters’ concerns heading into the midterm season. The administration seems stuck between its populist promises to revive certain jobs and the reality that this means higher prices on everything from homes to a new tractor. MAGA influencer Benny Johnson <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1908235617873650101">put it this way</a>: &#8220;Losing money means nothing. Digital ones and zeroes. In the end, you won&#8217;t miss any of it. Losing your country costs you everything.&#8221;
This is the definition of a losing message. It&#8217;s also an economically illiterate one. A 50% tariff is a 50% de facto tax on the raw materials U.S. manufacturers need to supply what consumers demand.
The experience of Bremen, Indiana’s BCI Solutions Inc., is instructive. The company is a small metal foundry that sells to a range of agriculture and heavy equipment makers. CEO J.B. Brown <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-factory-headcount-falling-despite-trumps-promised-manufacturing-boom-2026-01-09/">told</a> Reuters that his workforce is down to 130 people from a high of 240 people a couple of years ago.
“Every time I hear that manufacturing is booming, I scream at the TV,” <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-factory-headcount-falling-despite-trumps-promised-manufacturing-boom-2026-01-09/">said</a> Brown.
Far from reshoring jobs, tariff policies are costing them.
Because of these policies, companies like Brown’s have seen input prices soar, making their products more expensive and thereby weakening demand. The end result is the need to lay off workers, which is exactly the opposite of the boom Trump promised would follow his protectionist tariff policies.
It’s time for Mr. Trump to put down the cudgel of tariffs, and if he wants to revive the manufacturing industry, fully rescind his Section 232 tariffs and reduce the federal government’s role in the economy. Consumers will be the first to benefit, and that will redound to the president’s benefit in November, but the clock is ticking.
***
Stephen Kent is a conservative commentator and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Force-Can-Fix-World/dp/1546000461">How The Force Can Fix The World: Lessons on Life, Liberty &amp; Happiness From a Galaxy Far, Far Away.</a> Kent is the Media Director for the Consumer Choice Center. Follow him @<a href="https://x.com/StephenKentX">StephenKentX</a>.

tariffs word on calculator screen with Invoice and export – Import declaration report.

The Trump ‘Affordability’ Policy That’s Hurting More Than It Helps

Manufacturing

Special Reporting

Tariffs

Inflation reached its highest rate under President Donald Trump&#8217;s second term, ticking up 0.6% in April, for a one-year pace of 3.8%, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">data</a> released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
The 3.8% annualized rate is the highest inflation mark since May of 2023, when it came in at 4% and was on its way down from a 40-year high under former President Joe Biden. Experts expected April&#8217;s inflation report to come in at 3.7%.  
Energy costs rose 3.8% in April, accounting for 40% of the monthly increase and pushing the 12-month gain to 17.9%. That marked a cooldown from March, when energy prices jumped 10.9% — the largest monthly gain since 2005. Shelter (0.6%) and food (0.5%) also posted notable increases.
Inflation in April outpaced the month&#8217;s wage gains by 0.2%. United States equities fell by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/11/stock-market-today-live-updates.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.PostToTwitter">0.7%</a> after the inflation report was released. The Nasdaq also dropped 1.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.6%. 
“It isn’t like it’s an avalanche, but it’s a steady move upward,” Thomas Martin, the senior portfolio manager at Globalt Investments, told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/11/stock-market-today-live-updates.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.PostToTwitter">CNBC</a>.
Rising prices have hit Americans the hardest at the pump in recent months as the national average price for gas has ticked up to $4.50 per gallon. 
The White House appeared to respond to the inflation report by sharing a chart showing goods and services that have fallen over the last year. Oil was notably not on the list. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/WPYOsC3sUb">pic.twitter.com/WPYOsC3sUb</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2054189194096894295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
White House spokesman Kush Desai told The New York Times that the administration “remains laser-focused on delivering growth and affordability on the home front while working to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.” Data shows the price uptick is driven by higher energy prices due to the war with Iran. 
The Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world&#8217;s oil supply, remains closed. On Monday, President Trump said that a proposed deal to end the conflict with Iran is on “life-support.”
Following April&#8217;s inflation report, the Polymarket odds of a Fed rate hike before 2027 jumped nearly 10 points to 31% — just as Kevin Warsh prepares to take the reins from Fed chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday.

Gas Prices

Inflation Rises To Highest Level In Three Years

McDonald’s customers are annoyed by what the fast food company just pitched as a bargain.
For a limited time, the McDouble will be available on the company&#8217;s &#8220;McValue&#8221; menu for $2.50. But social media commenters are pointing out that this “value” only highlights how much prices have increased in a short period, as the same sandwich once cost $1.
People were further incensed when McDonald’s discontinued its popular “Buy 1, Get 1 for $1” promo in late April. That’s been replaced by the “Under $3” menu that includes the McDouble and other items, many of which were included in the earlier promotion. 
&#8220;Look, it was my go-to lunch for work every single day. Quick, easy and 5 bucks for lunch. That&#8217;s gone, so am I,&#8221; one commenter wrote. &#8220;No reason else to go. Might only be 1 person, but that&#8217;s one customer gone.&#8221; 
“Anyone remember when McDoubles used to be 99 cents? It was only 10 years ago &#8230;&#8221; one Reddit user noted. 
&#8220;All these were 99-cent items, then it [turned] into a &#8216;value&#8217; meal, then we have what we got now,” another commenter observed. 
&#8220;Thing was a dollar, they sell billions of burgers and I&#8217;m supposed to be impressed by 2.50?&#8221; a third agreed.
McDonald’s pushed back against those criticisms, insisting that their offerings remain a great value.
&#8220;Our focus has always been on listening to our customers and meeting their needs,&#8221; McDonald&#8217;s USA said in a statement, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/mcdonalds-2-50-mcdouble-sparks-backlash-americans-say-fast-food-no-longer-cheap">per</a> Fox News Digital.
&#8220;That&#8217;s why McValue was built as a flexible platform designed to evolve with them. The under $3 menu delivers on what they&#8217;ve told us matters most: consistently great prices on their favorite items and the freedom to order what they want, when they want — no bundling required.&#8221;
The fast-food chain is also facing backlash for continuing to phase out its self-serve beverage stations, which many dine-in customers valued for free refills. 
“As confirmed in 2023, McDonald’s will be transitioning away from self-serve beverage stations in dining rooms across the U.S. by 2032,” the company said in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcdonalds-continues-to-phase-out-popular-restaurant-feature-nationwide">statement</a> this week. “The change is being rolled out over 10 years, and is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant.&#8221;

McDonald’s

The McDonald’s Menu Change Sparking Nostalgia For The 99-Cent Era

Fast-Food

Food

Restaurant

United States

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is launching a new advertising blitz to boost Republican candidates with six months remaining until Election Day.
Running in North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, and New Hampshire, the ads focus on affordability and highlight the tax cuts enacted in President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ 
“Joe Biden and Democrats’ wasteful spending wrecked the economy,” the ad supporting Michigan&#8217;s Republican candidate states. “But Mike Rogers is fighting back – working to cut government spending and advocating for working-class Americans.” 
“Republicans are making life more affordable. That means lower costs on groceries, housing, and utilities. Huge tax cuts for hard-working families and more money for our seniors,” the advertisements say.<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/L02oaFum7nGsnqFQmni2h13EoMCw01ZpoC?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=65c76139-c981-410e-9520-075474578f6e&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=EXCLUSIVE%3A%20Republicans%20Choose%20Their%20Midterm%20Battleground%20In%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fcdf9a7b3-4134-40ff-96d3-c35b0a5e9f0d.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The other five ads — supporting Senator John Husted in Ohio, Senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska, Michael Whatley in North Carolina, Ashley Hinson in Iowa, and John Sununu in New Hampshire — use the same script.
The messaging highlights how central affordability has become, as polls show growing voter dissatisfaction with prices and the state of the economy.
“Working families and seniors are still paying the price for Democrats’ reckless spending spree,” NRSC National Press Secretary Bernadette Breslin told The Daily Wire. “Senate Republicans are fighting to make life more affordable by cutting wasteful spending, reversing Democrats’ inflation, and delivering historic tax relief for hardworking Americans.”
With tax season underway, many Americans are seeing larger refunds. As of Feb. 6, 2026, average tax refunds stood at $2,290 — up nearly 11%, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-feb-6-2026">according to the IRS.</a>
Rising fuel prices, however, may be hitting consumers at the pump. On Wednesday, the national average gas price stood at $4.536, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according to AAA.</a>  In battleground Michigan — where Republican Mike Rogers is hoping to flip the seat — gas prices are averaging even higher at $4.805.
<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/708905/affordability-dominates-americans-financial-worries.aspx">A Gallup poll</a> released on April 28 found that a record 55% of Americans say their financial situation is getting worse. One in three respondents cited inflation and high prices as their top financial concern.
Retaining control of the U.S. Senate is a critical priority for the White House and Congressional Republicans. The upper chamber is responsible for confirming Supreme Court nominees and deciding President Trump’s fate should a Democratic-led House of Representatives vote to impeach him a third time. <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/controls/senate-winner/controls-2026">Prediction markets</a> currently give Republicans a narrow advantage in retaining control. 
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Republicans hold a 53–47 majority, meaning Democrats would need to flip four seats to take control. If the chamber were split 50–50, Vice President Vance could cast tie-breaking votes.
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Maine Senator Susan Collins — who is set to face off against Graham Platner — is not included in the NRSC’s advertisement blitz. 
Platner, who was exposed for having a Nazi tattoo, also faced backlash for past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts">Reddit posts</a>, including ones where he called himself a “communist” and said, “cops are bastards.”
Chuck Schumer’s candidate of choice, Gov. Janet Mills, dropped out of the race after failing to gain traction with left-wing primary voters. 
Her exit from the race was welcome news to Republicans.
“Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats just coronated a phony who is too extreme for Maine. Susan Collins has always put in the work for her constituents and delivered. Washington Democrats always fall short in Maine and will again, because they just nominated a dishonest radical,” NRSC Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-dem-who-sparred-with-trump-over-trans-athletes-ends-campaign">said in a statement.</a>

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans Home In On Affordability In Midterm Battleground Ad Push

Midterms

Republicans

U.S. Senate

California’s already volatile race for governor took on a sharper edge Tuesday night, as a crowded field of candidates turned a nationally televised debate into a sustained exchange of attacks, cross-talk, and ideological contrasts that underscored just how unsettled the contest remains weeks before the June 2 primary.
With seven candidates on stage and no clear frontrunner, the debate quickly took on the feel of a pivotal moment in the race, less about introducing platforms than defining — and swinging at — opponents. Moderators pressed candidates on affordability, energy, immigration, and healthcare, but answers often gave way to direct clashes, particularly between Republicans and Democrats and within the Democratic field itself.
Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco framed the night around a broader indictment of Democratic governance, arguing that years of one-party control has driven up costs and worsened quality of life. The Democrats; former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, largely countered by tying Republican critiques to President Donald Trump and defending the state’s policy direction, though not without visible fractures among themselves.
The most consistent throughline of the evening was the cost of living, particularly gas prices, which hovered above $6 per gallon statewide. Hilton argued that regulatory policy and environmental mandates were artificially inflating costs, at one point accusing Steyer of supporting policies that burden working Californians to benefit “rich friends” invested in climate initiatives. Steyer fired back, calling Hilton an “apologist for fossil fuels” and arguing that global markets, not state policy, drive fuel costs.
That exchange set the tone for much of the night: blunt, personal, and often spilling beyond the moderators’ control.
At another point, Becerra claimed that Trump is responsible for raising the cost of living in California, singling out the war in Iran and rising gas prices. Villaraigosa shot back, reminding Becerra that Californians have dealt with the highest gas prices in the country &#8220;for a very long time.&#8221; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Xavier Becerra gets OWNED by his own party:
BECERRA: “Let’s focus on who’s raising the cost of living in California…that’s Donald Trump.”
VILLARAIGOSA: “That’s not true, we’ve had the highest gas prices over $2 than the rest of the nation for a very long time…” <a href="https://t.co/dM7khLVi4J">pic.twitter.com/dM7khLVi4J</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2051841155453612241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Healthcare proved similarly divisive, especially around the question of a single-payer system. Porter pushed Becerra to give a direct answer on whether he supported such a system, while Villaraigosa and Mahan cast doubt on its feasibility, citing cost concerns. Steyer, by contrast, argued the system’s current strain leaves little alternative. Republicans used the moment to frame the debate itself — as Hilton put it — as a choice between “going Left or going farther Left.”
Porter and Steyer also said they want the state to provide free healthcare to illegal immigrants. Hilton shot back at that argument, saying, &#8220;The actual way we deal with healthcare in this state is to at least stop spending twenty billion dollars a year on healthcare for illegal immigrants who shouldn&#8217;t even be in the country in the first place.&#8221;
Immigration and law enforcement added another layer of intensity. Bianco positioned himself as uniquely familiar with the effects of California’s sanctuary policies, while Villaraigosa dismissed his claims outright, calling him a “bully” and referencing past affiliations that Bianco defended. The exchange highlighted not only partisan divides, but the willingness of candidates to escalate rhetoric in a crowded field competing for attention.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Candidates vying to be the next California governor clashed over a question on immigration enforcement.
Watch the California Governor Primary Debate live NOW on CNN and the CNN app: <a href="https://t.co/U9JEkCJj1E">https://t.co/U9JEkCJj1E</a> <a href="https://t.co/01Cb2f3Rob">pic.twitter.com/01Cb2f3Rob</a>
— CNN (@CNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/2051847247197798903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Within the crowded Democratic ranks, friction was difficult to ignore. Becerra and Mahan sparred over healthcare records, while Becerra and Steyer traded accusations tied to campaign funding and past business dealings. Porter, at one point attempting to police the tone, criticized the “bickering” on stage, only to be drawn back into the ongoing war of interruptions and rebuttals.
The presence of Trump loomed over the debate with Democrats repeatedly casting him as a central threat to California, while Republicans argued that fixation on Trump was a way to deflect from state-level failures. When asked how they would work with him, the divide sharpened further, with some candidates emphasizing resistance and others calling for pragmatic engagement.
Beneath the exchanges, a more structural reality remained clear: the race is still wide open. Polling has shown no dominant candidate, and Tuesday’s debate did little to consolidate the field. Instead, it reinforced the sense of fragmentation — ideologically, stylistically, and strategically — as candidates search for a path into the top two spots that will advance to the general election.
At times, the debate approached disorder, though moderators kept it from devolving into the kind of chaos seen in earlier debates in the race. Still, frequent interruptions, overlapping answers, and pointed one-liners gave the event a combative rhythm that reflected the melodrama of California politics.
With mail voting already underway and the primary less than a month away, Tuesday’s debate served less as a clarifying moment than a snapshot of a race still in flux. For now, the only clear takeaway is the absence of clarity itself.

c-cagovernor-2

Candidates Trade Brutal Blows In Wild California Governor Debate

California

Healthcare

Immigration

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is defending the company&#8217;s high-priced drinks, arguing that customers are willing to pay for what he calls a “luxury experience.” 
Speaking The Wall Street Journal&#8217;s What&#8217;s News AM podcast, Niccol said Starbucks is performing well across income levels, even as some drinks approach $9.
“We’re doing really well with Gen Z and millennials, and then really had strong performance across all income cohorts,” Niccol said. “It can start with as little as $3 for a traditional cup of coffee. And then obviously you can build your way into all sorts of customized drinks that people love that move that ticket up.”
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When asked whether concerns about a so-called K-shaped economy could impact sales, Niccol said Starbucks isn&#8217;t seeing signs of strain. 
“What we’re seeing is people, they want to have a special experience, and regardless of what your income level is,&#8221; he said. &#8220;In some cases, you know, a $9 experience does feel like you’re splurging. And then, what that means  is we have to make it worthwhile, right?”
In other cases, he added, customers view Starbucks as an affordable premium option.
“They’re saying, ‘Well it’s less than $10 and I get a really premium experience,&#8217;” Niccol went on. “So, regardless of where you’re stationed in those income cohorts, we want to make that experience worth your while.”
Niccol also described a visit to Starbucks as “a moment of escapism,” adding that customers value consistency across price points.
“I think people actually really do appreciate knowing, “Hey, if this is a $3 cup of coffee or a $5 latte, I know I’m going to get a great experience for that $5 experience, I’m in,” he added.
Many commenters called the exec out of touch.
“This video just confirms how detached from reality those people are. [Starbucks] IS NOT a premium experience, nor is the coffee worth $9,” one person wrote. 
“I&#8217;ll pass on this premium experience,” another agreed.
A third commenter quipped, “Friends don’t let friends drink Starbucks.”

Oatmilk Latte

$9 Pitched As ‘Affordable Luxury’ And Americans Aren’t Buying It

Coffee

Starbucks