Trump Falsely Claims 1.7% Prewar Inflation as April CPI Hits 3.8%
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 13
Trump Falsely Claims 1.7% Prewar Inflation as April CPI Hits 3.8%
6 articles · Updated · CNN · May 13
April CPI rose 3.8% from a year earlier, the highest in nearly three years, after which Trump told reporters inflation had been 1.7% in the three months before the Iran war.
Official data contradict that claim: CPI inflation was 2.7% in November and December 2025, 2.4% in January and February 2026, and PCE inflation stayed between 2.8% and 2.9% in those months.
The White House did not address the specific figure when asked, instead saying inflation was "cool and stable" before Operation Epic Fury and would ease once the war ends and the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens.
Trump also said inflation is far below Biden-era levels, but the comparison is mixed: 3.8% is above each of Biden's last 20 months in office, though still well below the 9.1% peak of June 2022.
Beyond surging prices, how is the recent conflict reshaping the future of global energy?
With global food prices set to rise, what is the war's hidden cost for humanitarian aid?
How is the world adapting after one conflict exposed the fragility of global supply chains?