American Bridge 21st Century released the latest installment of its Reports From The American Front Line video series today, documenting how Donald Trump’s economic agenda has turned this Fourth of July into one of the most expensive on record.
“Donald Trump told the American people he loves inflation, but they’re the ones living with what that actually means,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Brandon Weathersby. “Families are doing the math at the grocery store and skipping items they used to take for granted. The simplest American summer tradition, a backyard cookout on the Fourth of July, now costs more than it ever has. Trump’s tariffs drove prices up, and his reckless decisions have kept them there. He is not confused about what his policies are doing to working people. He simply does not care.”
The American Farm Bureau Federation reports this is the most expensive Fourth of July cookout since it started tracking costs a decade ago, with prices up on everything from ground beef to hamburger buns. Americans are cutting trips shorter, staying closer to home, and spending more at the pump just to get there. From Nevada to Michigan to Oklahoma to Texas, the story is the same: everything costs more, and there is no relief in sight.
RFTAFL is part of American Bridge’s broader Republican Impacts Project, which uses extensive research to highlight the local effects of Republican policies and hold policymakers accountable for decisions that harm American families.
Published: Jul 2, 2026