President Donald Trump used an address to McDonald’s franchise owners on Monday to underscore his administration’s efforts to lower consumer costs, framing affordability as central to his economic agenda as he faces mounting political pressure, Bloomberg reported.

Trump praised the fast-food chain for reinstating Extra Value Meals at 5 US dollars and 8 US dollars price points, saying the move reflected broader efforts to reduce costs for Americans. “I hear that McDonald’s is playing a very big role in getting prices down for this country,” he told franchise owners, highlighting his own long-standing personal preference for the brand.

The speech came against a backdrop of voter concerns over high costs, highlighted in recent off-year state and local elections where Republicans faced notable defeats. Trump sought to contrast his administration’s economic record with that of Democrats, touting policies he said have attracted trillions in private investment and contributed to easing inflation.

In recent weeks, the administration has taken steps to mitigate price pressures, including reducing tariffs on agricultural imports such as beef, coffee, bananas, and nuts, and striking trade agreements with Latin American countries aimed at lowering costs on goods not widely produced domestically. Officials have also floated measures like 50-year mortgages and direct 2,000 US dollars “dividend” payments derived from tariff revenues as potential ways to ease household expenses.

Despite these steps, economists warn that Trump’s broader tariff policies may continue to exert upward pressure on prices. Administration advisers, however, downplayed the role of tariffs in cost growth, framing recent exemptions as targeted interventions rather than policy reversals.