Why Are Groceries So Expensive?
In a podcast episode, David Frum and economist Vincent Smith discuss the causes of high grocery prices and criticize the Trump administration's economic policies, specifically regarding tariffs. The discussion also touches on the broader economic challenges of debt and deficit management.
Why it matters
Rising food costs are a primary economic concern for households, and the debate over the efficacy of trade policies like tariffs remains a central point of political contention.
Vincent Smith on rising grocery prices and whether there will be relief anytime soon. Plus: Trump’s broken economic policies and Edith Hamilton’s Mythology .
Montana State University July 22, 2026, 1 PM ET Share Save Listen − 1.0 x + Seek 0:00 48:50 Subscribe here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
On this week’s episode of The David Frum Show , The Atlantic ’s David Frum opens with his thoughts questioning whether the Trump administration has any plan at all to meet the challenge of debt and deficits.
Then, David is joined by Vincent Smith, director of agricultural policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and professor emeritus of economics at Montana State University. Frum and Smith discuss the high price of groceries, Trump’s lack of a plan to address it, and whether any relief is coming to Americans.
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