The humble burrito causes indigestion for Trump’s Republican party

WASHINGTON - Debate over the price of a burrito is causing indigestion for US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, which fears being punished for the high cost of living in November’s midterm elections.

The Mexican specialty – rice, beans, meat and other toppings wrapped in a tortilla – is beloved by many Americans as a comforting, filling and inexpensive meal.

Not anymore, argues Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA.

“One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability: ‘A burrito shouldn’t cost US$20 (S$25.56).’ Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid-19 and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much,” Kolvet said in a viral X post this week.

Those comments set off what Fox News, the Republicans’ favourite channel, is describing as a “civil war” within the party.

Some conservatives questioned the cited price and accused American youth of having expensive tastes while others came to their defence – and warned of political fallout.

“Stop whining, get a job, eat Ramen like the rest of us did in college, on a budget with 4 roommates. The market doesn’t care what you think something ‘should’ cost,” Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican congressman wrote on X.

In Washington, the price of a takeout burrito at two popular fast-food chains ranged between US$6.50 and US$13.50, depending on the ingredients.

Similarly, Marc Thiessen, a former advisor to president George W. Bush turned columnist, criticised students on the same platform for being lazy and paying higher prices for food delivery services.

“When I graduated I lived on ramen noodles,” he wrote. “I didn’t whine about affordability, I worked hard so I could one day afford a better life.”

That prompted a sharp rebuke from Vice-President J.D. Vance, who called the comment surprising because “If you’ve ever met him in person, it’s quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito,” referring to the columnist’s physique.

Other conservatives also said that comments downplaying consumers’ concerns about prices was entirely the wrong response – and would have a political impact.

“If the Right’s ‘solution’ to the affordability crisis is telling people to eat worse food, we will lose (in November), and we will deserve it,” Angela Morabito, a spokesperson for the right-leaning Defense of Freedom Institute, wrote on X.

For his part, Trump again asserted on Aug 6 that inflation had decreased in the United States, denying any impact of his tariff policies on prices.

Inflation spiked to a three-year high of 4.2 per cent in May before falling back to 3.5 per cent in June as energy prices eased, according to federal figures.

Still, the murky outlook for the Iran war, which has caused petrol prices to surge, has consumers worried.

A recent opinion poll from Marquette University showed that the cost of living was cited by 35 per cent of respondents as their primary concern, far ahead of the war in Iran. AFP