Kristen Welker challenged Tim Scott on Sunday on Meet the Press after he blamed Joe Biden for inflation and other economic problems. She cut into his argument with current price figures, then tied the exchange to tariffs and higher household costs.
Welker said inflation was 3% when Biden left office and 3.4% now. She also said the average household has paid $1,000 more in 2026 because of tariffs, while gas prices are over $4 a gallon and more than $1 higher than a year ago.
Susan Collins and Maine families
During the exchange, Welker read a statement from Susan Collins saying tariffs would raise costs for Maine families because most businesses would pass the added expense to customers through higher prices. That put a direct consumer cost on the tariff fight, rather than leaving the argument at the level of politics or campaign talking points.
Welker said President Trump promised he would bring prices down on day one. She then linked that promise to the figures she was citing, including nearly $2,000 in tariff costs for American households.
Tim Scott’s inflation argument
Scott argued that Biden caused the “original sin” of costs in America over the last eight years and said Biden took inflation up 21%. He added that Trump brought inflation down from “a sky high 21% of the Biden years” to under 5% and near 4%.
Welker pushed back immediately, saying, “President Trump has been in office for two years.” When Scott kept talking over her, she repeated that point and then restated her numbers: inflation at 3% when Biden left office, 3.4% now, and gas prices above $4 a gallon.
Trump tariffs and price pressure
The exchange unfolded as Trump’s 50% tariffs on Canadian imports were set after last-minute trade negotiations collapsed. That backdrop mattered because Welker framed the discussion around families paying more because of taxes, tariffs, and higher prices.
Scott said Trump had built a resilient economy with wages going up and costs flattening. Welker ended the clash by pressing the price question directly: “Did he break that promise? Prices have gone up.”
