As Anniversary of Trump and Republicans’ Budget Bill Looms, North Carolinians are Paying More for Utilities, Groceries, Gas, and Healthcare 

RALEIGH, NC — New research from the Center for American Progress Action Fund and Climate Power highlights how unaffordable life has become for North Carolinians, thanks in large part to Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. One year after the GOP budget bill was signed into law, Trump’s policies have raised costs for North Carolina families by $1,964 per household through the first half of 2026. For families that buy health care coverage through the ACA marketplace, that total climbs to $3,477. By the end of 2026, those totals could grow to $3,040 and $6,065, respectively. 

Trump’s war of choice in Iran and efforts to block clean energy have raised gasoline and utility costs in North Carolina by $390. By the end of 2026, those additional energy costs could grow to $857 if costs continue to rise at the same rate. Rep. Chuck Edwards voted 12 times in favor of Trump’s policies that raised costs for North Carolina families on gasoline, electricity, and tariff-affected goods, as well as ACA marketplace coverage.

“Rather than taking action to lower the cost of living for North Carolinians, Trump and Republicans like Chuck Edwards are actively making the problem worse,” said Senior Advisor Jesse Lee. “One year ago, Trump signed one of the worst ‘own goal’ policies ever into law: the Republican budget bill. Since then, North Carolinians have been paying the price — literally. North Carolina was emerging as a leader in manufacturing the clean energy that could have kept utility bills down, but Trump has done everything he could to kill those jobs and investments. That’s meant even higher utility bills, on top of votes to raise costs on everything from gas to groceries to health care. Instead of North Carolina leading America toward energy independence, Trump and Republicans have made us even more reliant on the global oil and gas market, then led us into a disastrous war that we’ve all paid for at the pump.”

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