'His contempt for you knows no bounds': Chuck Schumer slams Trump as inflation surges to 4.2%

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) warned Americans that President Donald Trump's contempt for the working class "knows no bounds," after Trump told reporters he "loves the inflation" in response to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report showing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbing to 4.2% in May, up from 3.8% in April. Democrats have spent months hammering the affordability crisis under Trump's second term, a campaign now sharpened by the ripple effects of the ongoing war with Iran.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Americans only want to afford groceries, whereas Trump brags about loving rising costs for families. "It's sick," he said. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) pointed out that Trump has personally pocketed $4 billion since taking office, all while ignoring the day-to-day hardships faced by ordinary Americans, particularly those in Minnesota whom she represents in Congress. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) was more indelicate: "Trump doesn't give a flying f**k about you."

Senator Chris Van Hollen tied the inflation surge directly to the Iran conflict, reiterating that Trump's illegal war is hurting working people every day. "This war is making us less safe and worse off. We must end it," he said. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg argued the president was fixated on all the wrong priorities — from redecorating a ballroom to shielding himself from audits, and waging a war with no exit strategy. "Where is the Republican plan to make life more affordable in America?" he asked.

Democrats converged on Trump after he embraced rising prices, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer leading the charge. With the Iran war dragging on, Americans may have to brace for a grinding cost-of-living crisis, and Trump's remarks have handed the Democratic Party a powerful weapon heading into the midterms this November. For Trump, the remarks come on the heels of his earlier admission to reporters that he does not think about the financial situation of everyday Americans when negotiating a deal with Tehran.

Trump's comments came during an Oval Office press conference after being asked whether he was concerned about the latest inflation figures. He promised an explanation but veered into a lengthy account of covert oil seizures from Iran. "We took out the other night, 22 ships, late at night. That's why oil is $85 a barrel," he said. Trump framed the economic pain as a deliberate trade-off, arguing he was willing to sacrifice what he called the best economy in years to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.