President Donald Trump faced criticism after his prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday night. During the speech, he emphasized what he called significant economic improvements over his first 11 months back in office and claimed that even better progress would be made in 2026.
However, amid concerns about sudden price increases, higher unemployment, and expanded ICE deportation measures, the broader economic landscape remains complex.
At the same time, in October, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced price cuts for 15 prescription drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, resulting in about 44 percent average savings.
The Trump administration has also cited deals with major pharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly. Still, Donald Trump made a mathematical error during his speech that shocked even Fox News viewers. This conservative outlet has backed MAGA since Trump entered politics.
Trump administration claims the President has reduced some prescription drug prices by as much as “600 percent,” a figure that defies basic math. Fox anchor John Roberts challenged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on December 18 and said that Trump’s statement was “mathematically impossible.”
WHY DONT ANY OF YOU PEOPLE AT THE WH TELL HIM THAT THIS IS MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE???? https://t.co/nAjxT9NURH
— WeThePeople🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@PrincessBravato) December 18, 2025
“If you cut something by 100 percent, the cost goes to zero,” Roberts said. “If you cut it by four, five, or six hundred percent, the drug companies are actually paying you to take their products.”
Howard Lutnick began laughing as the veteran broadcaster questioned how much of his live speech was “a hyperbole and how much was fact? ” Lutnick attempted to defend the claim, offering a reframing rather than a correction.
He said that if a drug price fell from $100 to $13, it could be described as being “seven times lower,” though that is not the same as a 600 percent reduction. Howard Lutnick said such a drop would amount to an 87 percent decrease, not 600 percent.
Lutnick responded by arguing that the original price was “700 percent higher” than the new one, adding that “it all depends how you look at it.” The moment drew attention to a basic mathematical mistake.
As per NBC News, grocery prices have seen a steady spike for much of the past five years. This trend has been influenced by ongoing supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine, and rising corporate profits in the U.S., all contributing factors to the broader economic pressures faced by Americans.
Howard Lutnick addresses Trump’s ‘mathematically impossible’ claim he’s cutting drug prices by 600% during Fox News grilling – The Independent https://t.co/HUNdjAx8hB
— HeidiLeeStockenstrom☮️ (@HLStockenstrom) December 19, 2025
For instance, even though prices of eggs have fallen compared to November, average orange juice prices have increased 31% over the past year, while ground beef prices are up 17% compared with the same time in 2024.
This speech is not the first time that Donald Trump has made minor mathematical errors. Back in August, he made a similar statement about slashing drug prices that netizens later called out on X(formerly Twitter). I’m going to be reducing drug prices by 1,400, 1,500%,” Trump declared during a recent speech, as per The Huffpost.
“Your daily reminder that IT IS MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REDUCE PRICES BY MORE THAN 100%,” one user posted. Another one said, “So I’m going to get paid to buy prescription drugs? What a dumb a–.”
Others said the remark was a typical example of incorrect “MAGA Math” and clarified, “If you reduce a price by 100%, it becomes zero.” On Liberation Day, he also fixated on the word “groceries.”
Reporter: More soaring prices at the grocery store. The cost of beef is hitting record highs across the country. Prices are up 9% since January, and beef is retailing at the grocery store for on average $9.26 a pound. That is a dramatic increase since the beginning of the year pic.twitter.com/0ACrTmHAPd
— FactPost (@factpostnews) July 21, 2025
He said in his speech, “It’s like an old-fashioned word, but it’s a beautiful word, a very descriptive word. The groceries are coming down. I inherited a grocery situation.” “He’s unfamiliar with the term because he hasn’t bought any — possibly ever,” one user on X wrote.
While the funny moment went viral and people questioned his unusual use of words, critics accused Trump of making incoherent remarks and repeated errors in his public speeches, which often causes widespread confusion.
Both psychologist Mary Trump and former Johns Hopkins psychologist Dr John Gartner have claimed in several separate interviews that Trump’s physical and cognitive health have seen a sharp decline despite official health reports saying he’s in “perfect health.”
