'Which Executive Order Lowers Prices?': CBS Host Brennan Grills JD Vance On Trump's Economic Promises

On Jan. 26, Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan grilled Vice President JD Vance on the administration's plans to tackle rising grocery prices. Her question was straightforward: "You campaigned on lowering prices for consumers. Which executive order lowers prices?"

Vance, however, sidestepped specifics, focusing instead on broader goals. "We've done a lot, and there have been a number of executive orders that have already caused jobs to start coming back into our country, which is a core part of lowering prices," he said. But he didn't name a single order targeting grocery costs directly.

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Brennan didn't let up, pushing him on when Americans might see relief, particularly for staples like eggs—an item that became a hot-button issue on the campaign trail. Egg prices have been through the roof. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they jumped a whopping 36.8% between December 2023 and December 2024. A combination of an ongoing bird flu outbreak and state laws requiring cage-free production has put intense pressure on supplies.

"Prices are going to come down, but it's going to take a little bit of time," Vance assured, adding, "The president has been president for all of five days, and in those five days, he's accomplished more than Joe Biden did in four years."

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Still, many experts say lowering food prices isn't as simple as signing executive orders. Patrick Penfield, a supply chain expert at Syracuse University, told the New York Post that egg prices could climb another 20% this year, possibly reaching $5 a dozen in some areas.

"The avian flu outbreak has been devastating, and complying with cage-free laws adds significant costs," he explained.

Brennan also called out the administration's priorities, noting that most of Trump's recent executive orders haven't focused on the economy. While Vance claimed "many of them were," he didn't back it up with examples.

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Meanwhile, broader inflation trends add to the complexity. Food prices rose by 2.5% overall last year, and the current inflation rate sits at 2.9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

While that's within manageable levels, experts like Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warn against aiming for outright deflation, which historically has led to economic crises like the Great Depression.

To make matters trickier, proposed tariffs on imports from major trading partners like Canada and Mexico could push grocery prices higher. The U.S. imports roughly 15% of its food supply, and new tariffs could make everyday items like beef, tomatoes, and avocados even more expensive, according to Eater.

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