Ari Merretazon

BREAKING: Donald Trump delivers a nasty Halloween shock to the American people as his tariffs skyrocket the price of candy by 10.8% — roughly four times that of overall inflation. And it gets even worse for trick-or-treaters... According to studies conducted by Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation think tanks, some sweets skyrocketed by an even larger margin. Tootsie Roll Lollipops now cost 34% more than they did last year and Hershey’s variety packs are up by 22%. Mars variety packs have spiked 12%. Since 80% of Halloween decorations and costumes are manufactured in China, those products have also experienced a price increase across the board. This data further underlines the colossal failure that was Trump's recent visit to meet with Xi Jinping as he was unable to work out a deal to relieve the economic pressures on struggling Americans. Chocolate has become an incredibly expensive commodity as tariff increases between 15% and 39% have rattled the supply chain for cocoa imports. Hershey projects that tariffs will cost them an additional $100 million in the second half of 2025, and despite what MAGA wants you to believe those costs are passed along to American consumers. Not surprisingly, 8 in 10 Americans stated that tariffs have made Halloween more expensive for them and 42% are relying on discount stores for their needs this year, up from 37% last year. The researchers specifically stated that price increases are “a direct result of Trump’s tariffs, which are hitting key ingredients that candy makers rely on.” All of these spikes are layered on top of the fact that families are struggling just to pay for essentials. Last month, groceries saw their biggest spike in nearly three years, having shot up by roughly 3% since Trump was sworn in for his second term. Thanks to this disastrous president, parents out there will have to choose between letting their kids celebrate this beloved holiday or putting food on their tables. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Trump's family has raked in over $800 million from the sale of crypto assets in the first half of 2025 alone. While the rest of us struggle, the president is looting everything in sight. Please retweet and ❤️ if you miss Democratic governance!