On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump emphasized that reducing energy bills is crucial to addressing Americans’ economic challenges, reaffirming his pledge to cut energy costs by 50% within his first year back in the White House.
Trump attended a town hall event in Flint, Michigan, hosted by Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The GOP nominee’s campaign event primarily concentrated on the economy and the auto industry.
During the town hall, a woman asked him how he would “bring down the cost of food and groceries” as many families are struggling to pay their bills, The Daily Wire reported.
“We have to start always with energy,” Trump replied. “I don’t want to be boring about it, but there’s no bigger subject that covers everything. If you make donuts, if you make cars, whatever you make, energy is a big deal.”
“And it’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50%,” he added. “If I can do that, we’ve done a hell of a job … [and] interest rates are going to follow.”
Throughout his 2024 campaign, Donald Trump has concentrated on addressing the rising energy costs faced by Americans, recently unveiling a proposal to reduce energy bills by 50% if he wins the election.
The monthly expenses for electricity in U.S. homes and businesses have been gradually increasing since the early 2000s, but experienced a sharp rise starting in early 2022—just one year into the Biden-Harris administration. According to the Energy Information Administration, the cost of residential electricity reached 16.41 cents per kilowatt hour by June 2024, up from 12.62 cents in January 2021.
Natural gas prices reached their highest level in a decade in August 2022 but have since declined to levels similar to those during Trump’s administration. In contrast, gasoline prices have stayed elevated under the Biden-Harris administration compared to Trump’s tenure, with the national average reaching $3.50 as of August. Under Trump, the highest national average for gasoline was $2.99 in May 2018.
During his event in Flint, Trump stated that his administration would “drill, baby, drill” beginning on his first day back in the White House if elected, the DW noted further.
