The opinion piece argues that President Trump is the main cause of the recent inflation surge, pointing to the war with Iran he began at the end of February. Inflation had fallen from a 9.0% peak in June 2022 to 2.7% by the end of 2025, but the author says it had begun rising again before the war, as businesses stocked up on imports ahead of tariffs. Iran's blocking of oil through the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices soaring, and the increase spread through transport and fertilizer costs. The Producer Price Index rose 6.3% year-over-year in September, which the author says points to higher consumer inflation in coming months. Wage growth slowed from 4.0% in 2023 and 2024 to 3.0% in the latest data, so the author argues workers are falling further behind as prices rise.
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