'Eggs are way down', says Trump amid historic high prices. Netizens say 'Bro can’t stop lying'

Egg prices are once again top of mind for many Americans. Even after a recent drop in wholesale costs, retail egg prices remain near historic highs, averaging about $6 per dozen — roughly double what people paid a year ago. It’s the most Americans have paid for eggs in decades, according to a CNBC analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

US President Donald Trump has talked a lot about egg prices. "Gasoline's way down. Eggs are way down. Groceries are down very substantially, but down. Almost everything's down," Trump was quoted as saying by Fox News.

How social media reacted

Social media users were quick enough to comment on Trump's bizarre remarks at a time when egg prices are soaring in the US. "Where ? Wanna know so I can go and do my shopping," asked one netizen.

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"Price of eggs is up just like our national security leaks," another user quipped. "Fantastic! What’re you going to do about Pete hegseth leaking military info?," asked another. "Why does he continue to lie so much?," asked another. "Bro can’t stop lying through his teeth and people eat this up," wrote another.

"When I came in [to office] after one week people were screaming at me about eggs — eggs had nothing to do with me, but they were through the roof and you couldn't get them," President Trump told a gathering of media before a cabinet meeting on Monday.

"Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control," he told the US Congress earlier this month. What was a campaign strategy to target cost-of-living concerns among voters has become a policy headache for Mr Trump now he's in the Oval Office.

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The cost of eggs has risen 65 per cent in the past year in the US, and is projected to rise again by 41 per cent in 2025. They're so expensive, people are smuggling them in to the US from Mexico.

In an attempt to reduce prices and address the supply shortage, America is importing hundreds of millions of eggs from other countries including South Korea, Türkiye and Brazil.

US turns to Brazil for eggs

The US has almost doubled imports of Brazilian eggs once used only for pet food and is considering relaxing regulations for eggs laid by chickens raised for meat, as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to bring down sky-high prices spiked by bird flu.

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While none of the Brazilian or broiler chicken eggs would wind up on grocery shelves, they could be used in processed foods such as cake mixes, ice cream or salad dressing, freeing up more fresh eggs for shoppers. Allowing use of broiler chicken eggs would require changing regulations, and some food safety experts warned that this could risk tainting food products with harmful bacteria.

Nationwide economic strain persists from the virus that has wiped out nearly 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds since early 2022. Grocery shoppers peruse thinly stocked shelves, restaurants have raised menu prices, and wholesale egg prices surged 53.6% in February before easing a bit in March.

The egg shortage has fueled food inflation even as Trump's trade disputes have threatened to disrupt supply chains and raise costs for fresh produce and other goods.

In February, the administration announced a $1 billion plan to lower egg prices, which includes helping farmers prevent the spread of the virus and researching vaccine options. The Trump administration is also promoting imports from countries such as Turkey, Brazil and South Korea that typically send few eggs to the U.S., and has asked Europe to send more.

(With inputs from Reuters)