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Trump Pressures Pharma Giants to Slash Drug Prices, Warns of Consequences

In letters addressed to 17 leading drug manufacturers and shared on his platform Truth Social, Trump called for urgent reforms to reduce the cost of prescription medicines, which remain significantly higher in the United States compared to other developed nations.

• By Newsdesk
• Washington
• Aug 03, 2025

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to major pharmaceutical companies, demanding they take immediate action to lower drug prices or face serious consequences. In letters addressed to 17 leading drug manufacturers and shared on his platform Truth Social, Trump called for urgent reforms to reduce the cost of prescription medicines, which remain significantly higher in the United States compared to other developed nations.

Trump gave the companies a 60-day window to cooperate with his administration and implement pricing changes. “If you refuse to step up, we will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices,” he stated, though he did not detail the specific actions his administration would take if companies fail to comply.

This move follows an executive order signed by Trump in May aimed at addressing what he described as “exorbitant” drug prices in the U.S.—where patients often pay more than three times the amount charged in comparable economies. Despite the order, Trump expressed frustration over the pharmaceutical industry’s response, saying it had been largely dismissive and focused on preserving profits rather than helping consumers. “So far, it’s been more of the same—blame-shifting and superficial changes that benefit the industry, not the American people,” he wrote.

Central to Trump’s proposal is the implementation of a “Most Favored Nation” pricing model. This policy would tie the cost of drugs sold in the U.S. to the lowest price that pharmaceutical companies charge in other countries for the same medication. He urged drugmakers to apply this standard not only to existing treatments but also to new drugs entering the market.

Additionally, Trump called for this pricing approach to be extended to medicines covered under Medicaid, the government-funded healthcare program for low-income Americans and senior citizens.

“Americans are demanding lower drug prices, and they need them today,” Trump emphasized, underscoring the urgency of the issue.

With the 60-day deadline now in motion, Trump’s message signals a renewed push for pharmaceutical pricing reform—putting industry leaders on notice and placing public pressure on companies to prioritize affordability over profit.