Former President Donald Trump says help is finally on the way for Americans buried under the weight of soaring drug costs. In a fiery announcement on Sunday, Trump declared that he will sign a sweeping executive order Monday morning aimed at slashing prescription drug prices by as much as 80%.
The executive order, according to Trump, will take effect “almost immediately.”
“For many years the World has wondered why Prescription Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in the United States States of America were SO MUCH HIGHER IN PRICE THAN THEY WERE IN ANY OTHER NATION, SOMETIMES BEING FIVE TO TEN TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE SAME DRUG, MANUFACTURED IN THE EXACT SAME LABORATORY OR PLANT, BY THE SAME COMPANY???” Trump posted on Truth Social.
He continued, “It was always difficult to explain and very embarrassing because, in fact, there was no correct or rightful answer.”
‘The Suckers of America’: Trump Slams Big Pharma’s Pricing Excuses
Trump didn’t hold back as he took aim at pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of exploiting Americans under the guise of research and development expenses.
“The Pharmaceutical/Drug Companies would say, for years, that it was Research and Development Costs, and that all of these costs were, and would be, for no reason whatsoever, borne by the ‘suckers’ of America, ALONE,” he wrote. “Campaign Contributions can do wonders, but not with me, and not with the Republican Party.”
With that, Trump positioned himself as a populist crusader against Big Pharma and what he described as a long-standing bipartisan failure to rein in industry greed.
“We are going to do the right thing, something that the Democrats have fought for many years,” Trump added.
“Therefore, I am pleased to announce that Tomorrow morning, in the White House, at 9:00 A.M., I will be signing one of the most consequential Executive Orders in our Country’s history. Prescription Drug and Pharmaceutical prices will be REDUCED, almost immediately, by 30% to 80%.”
America First on Prescription Prices: ‘Most Favored Nation’ Policy Incoming
The heart of the order, Trump said, lies in implementing a “Most Favored Nation” policy, one that would require U.S. consumers to pay no more than the lowest price charged for the same drug anywhere in the world.
“I will be instituting a MOST FAVORED NATION’S POLICY whereby the United States will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World,” he said. “Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before. Additionally, on top of everything else, the United States will save TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”
He acknowledged the move would raise global prices, but emphasized, “it will bring FAIRNESS TO AMERICA!”
A Broader Assault on Rising Drug Costs
This latest executive order builds on an aggressive push from Trump to tame drug pricing. Just last month, he signed an order to standardize Medicare reimbursements for prescription drugs—targeting disparities that have historically driven up costs depending on where patients receive care.
That directive, the White House said, could lower prices by as much as 60%.
It also included reforms aimed at matching Medicare payments for certain drugs to what hospitals actually pay—potentially slicing costs by up to 35%. The initiative specifically targeted medications for cancer patients and others requiring high-cost treatments.
Insulin at 3 Cents, EpiPens for $15: Trump Targets Everyday Essentials
The executive order also sets its sights on two of the most hotly debated medications in recent years: insulin and epinephrine. According to a White House fact sheet, the plan calls for insulin to cost as little as three cents for uninsured or low-income patients, while injectable epinephrine—a lifesaving tool for severe allergies—would be capped at $15 plus a nominal administrative fee.
Additionally, the order greenlights broader importation programs to help states cut their drug costs. It also backs initiatives to secure better pricing on Medicaid-covered sickle cell medications.
RFK Jr.’s HHS Takes the Reins
Trump’s directive places responsibility on the Department of Health and Human Services, led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to gather public feedback on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, which originated under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
While the program has been controversial, it opened the door for Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies, an approach Trump now appears ready to expand upon.
Sticker Shock: Drug Prices Up 15% in a Year
The urgency isn’t lost on the public. Between January 2022 and January 2023, prescription drug prices jumped over 15%, hitting an average of $590 per product, according to federal data. Nearly half of those increases outpaced inflation.
Trump’s earlier reforms included a $35 insulin cap under Medicaid, a move many saw as a step in the right direction. Now, he’s making it clear: the fight is far from over.
And this time, he’s promising a revolution in how America pays for its medicine.
