The price of the Mexican dish is at the centre of an inflation row, with one lawmaker telling US youths to stop whining and ‘eat ramen’
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAgence France-PressePublished: 8:15am, 8 Aug 2026Debate over the price of a burrito is causing indigestion for President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, which fears being punished for the high cost of living in November’s midterm elections.
The Mexican speciality – rice, beans, meat and other toppings wrapped in a tortilla – is beloved by many Americans as a comforting, filling and inexpensive meal.
Not any more, argues Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA.
“One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability: ‘A burrito shouldn’t cost $20.’ Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much,” Kolvet said in a viral social media post this week.
Those comments set off what Fox News, the Republicans’ favourite channel, is describing as a “civil war” within the party.
Some conservatives questioned the cited price and accused American youth of having expensive tastes while others came to their defence – and warned of political fallout.
