U.S. Inflation Climbs to 2.7% in June as Trump Tariffs Push Prices Higher

Highest Reading Since February

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices accelerated in June, rising 2.7 percent from a year ago, the fastest pace in four months, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. The uptick, widely attributed to President Donald Trump’s broad tariff program, comes as headline inflation had eased earlier this spring.

On a month‑to‑month basis, the Consumer Price Index increased 0.3 percent, triple May’s 0.1‑percent gain.

Core Inflation Ticks Up

Stripping out food and energy, core prices climbed 2.9 percent from a year earlier, edging up from 2.8 percent in May. The core index rose 0.2 percent on the month, suggesting underlying price pressures remain persistent.

Tariffs Fuel Cost Increases

White House duties now cover nearly every imported good, including:

• 10 percent blanket tariff on general imports
• 50 percent on steel and aluminum
• 30 percent on Chinese‑made products
• 25 percent on foreign cars
• A 30 percent tariff on European Union goods threatened for Aug. 1

Those levies fed through to everyday items: gasoline rose 1 percent in June, grocery bills climbed 0.3 percent, and large‑appliance prices jumped for a third straight month.

Political Heat on the Fed

The inflation rebound complicates Trump’s push for an immediate Federal Reserve rate cut. The president argues the central bank should slash its policy rate from 4.3 percent to roughly 3 percent to spur growth. Fed Chair Jerome Powell says policymakers need clearer evidence that tariffs won’t entrench higher prices before easing.

Trade‑Driven Price Hikes Hit Main Street

Major retailers and manufacturers have begun passing costs along:

• Walmart signaled shelf‑price increases on imported goods.
• Mitsubishi raised U.S. vehicle prices by an average 2.1 percent.
• Nike outlined “surgical” hikes to offset higher duties.

Some businesses have delayed increases by stockpiling inventory ahead of tariffs, but analysts warn those buffers are thinning as import bills rise.

What’s Next

With tariffs expanding and election season approaching, economists expect inflation to stay elevated. Any sustained price surge could curb consumer spending, test the Fed’s balancing act, and add pressure on the White House to seek trade deals—or face voter frustration over the cost of living.