Donald Trump recently defended his mathematically impossible calculations of reducing drug prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on December 18, 2025 I blogged about how In his 18-minute speech last night President Trump talked about reducing prescription drug prices by 400% to 600%. What would that even mean? He revisited that silly claim, as discussed by Will Weissert at AP News on April 23, 2026 in an article titled Two ways of calculating’: Trump defends his mathematically impossible calculations on drug prices:

 

“Trump acknowledged having boasted that his efforts to lower drug prices had reduced what consumers pay by ‘500%, 600%.’ But he added, ‘We also sometimes say 50%, 60%’ and called it a ‘different kind of calculation’ that could go up to ‘70, 80 and 90%.’

‘People understand that better,’ Trump said. ‘But they’re two ways of calculating’ and ‘either way, it doesn’t make any difference.’ ” 

And Louis Jacobson at Politifact that same day, April 23, 2026, had another article titled RFK Jr. said there’s more than one way to calculate a percentage decrease. That doesn’t add up.