Desperate Trump Orders Communist-Style Price Controls
The president shamelessly borrowed a trick from his ideological foes.
Evan Vucci/Reuters
President Donald Trump wielded his political influence in a fashion characteristic of the party he frequently labels as “the biggest threat to our nation.”
Trump, 80, revealed in a Truth Social post on Monday that his administration compelled Walmart into dropping its prices, not dissimilar to how communist nations officially control prices outside of what the free market would normally dictate.
“Great news! I have just been informed that one of the biggest, best, and smartest Retailers in America, Walmart, will be lowering prices, by a lot, at my Administration’s request to celebrate our great Country’s 250th birthday,” the president wrote. “Walmart will, in particular, be dropping the price for a pound of ground beef by almost 15%, among many other products.”

Trump said his administration was responsible for Walmart's ground beef price drop.
Donald Trump/Truth Social
Trump hyped the decision as a “huge deal” for Americans who “smartly” shop at the retailer, and blamed his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for causing “the worst inflation crisis in history.”
“Just as I promised, Oil Prices are plummeting FAST, and Gas Prices at the pump are dropping too, just like egg and Prescription Drug prices which I am bringing down by historic levels,” Trump added. “Walmart is stepping up in a big and bold way, and other Retailers should follow the lead of these absolute Patriots.”
The average price of ground beef in the U.S. is around $6.75, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mike Segar/REUTERS
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
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Following the House primary wins of two Democratic socialists and another progressive Democrat in New York last month, Trump has upped his anti-leftist rhetoric, even slandering his favorite Dem, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as a “communist.”
“The Communists are finally making their move. I’ve been waiting and preparing for this for a long time,” Trump said in a Truth Social post last month. “The game is on. Enjoy watching!”

Donald Trump labeled his Democratic socialist adversaries as "Communists."
screen grab
Trump has regularly invoked the Communist threat as he seeks to head off a Democrat resurgence in the polls.
“It’s a big threat to our nation, actually, because it’s not socialism, it’s really communism,” Trump told reporters at the White House last month. “They use the word ‘Social Democrat’ because it sounds so nice, but it’s really communism you’re talking about.”
“I think it’s the biggest threat to our nation there is, maybe since our founding,” the billionaire president added. “That includes World War I, World War II, September 11. It includes the Pearl Harbor attack.”
The president has faced considerable backlash throughout his second term for failing to deliver on his campaign promises, several of which pertain to affordability-focused initiatives.
Trump claimed during his campaign that he would lower grocery prices, particularly egg prices, on “day one” of his presidency. The average price for a dozen eggs spiked to over $6 in March 2025—three months after his inauguration—according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The president’s war on Iran, which he started on Feb. 28, also drove gas prices through the roof to their highest levels since 2022, thanks to Tehran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations for lasting peace are ongoing, as the U.S. has tried desperately to reopen the strait permanently.
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