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CBS MoneyWatch · October 9, 2026 source

“Trump promised to lower prices for Americans. Here’s what the data shows.”

R2/ 10
Lightly altered
Rubbish Rating — 1 = base fact, 10 = pure rubbish
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In short
Rubbish Talk rates CBS MoneyWatch's claim that Trump's cost-of-living promises haven't materialized a 2/10 because the piece matches specific campaign pledges (sub-$2 gas, 2% mortgages, halved energy bills) against verified CPI, EIA and New York Fed data, and the numbers back the framing almost exactly.
The Verdict
Base fact, barely spun. CBS doesn't editorialize in the headline beyond "here's what the data shows," and the body delivers exactly that: direct quotes of Trump's specific promises set against dated, sourced figures from CPI, EIA, AAA-style gas tracking and New York Fed research. The one soft spot is that the piece leans on forecast inflation (3.6% for September) rather than a confirmed print, but it labels this clearly as a FactSet consensus estimate, not fact.

What actually happened

Trump campaigned on promises to cut gas to under $2/gallon, deliver 2% mortgages, halve energy and electricity prices, and lower groceries and car insurance. CBS compiles CPI, EIA and industry data showing grocery, energy, gas and diesel costs have risen since he took office, and cites New York Fed research attributing part of the inflation to his own tariff and Iran policies. The White House response, crediting tax cuts, job growth and trade deals, is included in full.

Key facts

  • Mr. Trump campaigned in 2024 on promises to lower Americans' cost of living, vowing to push gasoline prices below $2 a gallon and to deliver 2% mortgage rates.
  • Trump's tariff regime contributed about 2.9 percentage points to inflation through February, according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and without the tariffs, the price of goods would have declined. This matches independently retrieved Liberty Street Economics / NY Fed reporting on the same 2.9-point tariff pass-through figure.
  • Inflation in September is forecast to have risen at an annual rate of 3.6%, up from 3.4% in August, according to economists polled by FactSet, well above the Federal Reserve's 2% annual target.
  • The cost of food prepared at home has climbed 4% since November 2024, on top of a 23% jump in food prices during the prior four years.
  • The national average price for a gallon of gasoline was $4.37 as of Oct. 9, up 47% from $2.98 on Feb. 27, one day before the Iran war began. Diesel prices rose to a record high of $6.53 per gallon on Sept. 22.
  • Average monthly residential electricity costs rose 12.5% between December 2024 and July 2025, and average monthly residential natural gas prices rose 106% over the same period, per EIA.

What to watch for

Watch whether the September CPI print (currently just a FactSet forecast) lands at or above 3.6%, confirming the trend CBS describes. Also watch how winter heating-cost projections (averaging $1,030 per household, per the piece) play out against actual bills, and whether coverage elsewhere credits or blames tariffs versus the Iran-driven oil shock for the gas price spike.

About this scoreThe R-Score is Rubbish Talk's editorial opinion on how far a headline's framing sits from what the underlying facts support. It is a judgement about presentation and emphasis, not an allegation that any outlet has acted dishonestly. Every figure we rely on is linked under Receipts so you can check it yourself.
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