Name: Americans still struggling after weeks without federal food aid
Uploaded: 2025-11-16T07:44:00.944Z
Duration: 2 min 14 s
Description: Economic promises helped Donald Trump get re-elected. Now, he has an affordability problem, and his administration is facing backlash from consumers over the cost of living. Ali Bauman has more on efforts to bring relief.

Economic promises helped Donald Trump get re-elected. Now, he has an affordability problem, and his administration is facing backlash from consumers over the cost of living. Ali Bauman has more on efforts to bring relief.

Washington

A significant number of Americans are experiencing financial hardship due to weeks without federal food aid and rising costs of living. Despite the recent reopening of the government, hundreds in cities like Tampa, Florida, have lined up for grocery giveaways, highlighting continued struggles with affordability.

President Trump has responded by lifting tariffs on dozens of foods and proposing new measures, including a 50-year mortgage and a $2,000 dividend from tariff revenues. However, economists caution that the effects of these policies may not be felt until well after the new year, leaving many families in a prolonged state of uncertainty.

Americans still struggling after weeks without federal food aid

On the CBS Money Watch, economic promises helped Donald Trump get reelected. Well, now he has an affordability problem, and his administration is facing backlash from consumers over the cost of living. CBS's Ali Bauman in New York has more on efforts to bring some relief. Ali, good evening. Good evening, Jerrica. Many families are calling it a crisis of affordability. A new report by the American Family Survey finds seven in 10 Americans think raising children is too expensive. Even after the government reopened this week, hundreds lined up at a grocery giveaway in Tampa, Florida, still struggling following weeks without federal food aid. It's going to take time. You have to rob Peter to pay Paul. It's either food or life. Nearly a year into President Trump's second term, food and housing costs have surged. You just expect when you leave the house that whatever you're planning for, you're probably going to spend more. Yesterday, the president signed an executive order lifting his own tariffs on dozens of foods in an attempt to bring prices down. The price of beef, never higher. Coffee, the most expensive it's been in half a century. Bananas, up more than 8% over the last year. Food economist David Ortega. So if we take that tariff away, that is going to reduce the inflationary pressures, but it's still going to take some time for those prices to come down. Voters overwhelmingly supported Democrats who campaigned on affordability on Election Day. On Monday, on Fox News, Trump was asked about the economic strain Americans say they're feeling. Seconded by the Democrats. But he appears to be pivoting, proposing a 50-year mortgage designed to lower monthly payments. He also offered to send most Americans a $2,000 dividend from tariff revenues. CBS's Willie James Inman asked the president about that. It'll be next year sometime. Do you have a time frame? Sometime during the year, next year. And the economist we spoke to said you may not see relief at checkout until well after the new year. Farika? All right. Ali Bauman, thank you.

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