MMN Editor

PHOENIX – Robert Kraft, the visionary who bought the flailing New England Patriots in the 1990s and turned them into an NFL dynasty, was imagining the NFL’s future when he spoke with reporters on Monday.Kraft, who definitely gets it, would like to see a future NFL that plays 18 regular-season games, plays only two preseason games, includes two bye weeks and, oh yeah, has every single team playing one of its games internationally.So there it is … the NFL’s dream scenario for the 2030s.”I like it long term for the growth and development of the league because, to keep our league healthy and grow revenue, I think preseason games have not been what it used to be when we owned the team,” Kraft told New England area reporters during a break in the NFL annual meeting. “And changing to 18 games and having that real content and being mindful of player safety, I’d personally like to see us have a second bye week.”But then, it would allow us to also grow the game internationally. Every team in the league would play a game overseas … I think it would be a lot more exciting for the fans to have an extra game rather than the way our preseason games stack up.”This is not a daydream. It’s a league that craves growth and money building a penthouse over its already lofty perch atop American sports.And we know this because commissioner Roger Goodell has leaked a somewhat similar vision of Kraft’s outline in drubs and drabs the last couple of years — usually before offering a requisite amount of temperance to lower expectations.”We’re not there yet,” Goodell said before Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara. “There’s more work to be done.”NFL owners are apparently doing some of that work at the current meetings. And so the topic is leaking out into the media.Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon wants an 18-game regular season and made that point clear in speaking with local Indianapolis area reporters as well as during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”She has complained in the past that 17 games doesn’t give teams financial certainty from year to year, because some years teams play eight home games and some years they play nine and some years one of those home games goes overseas to an international venue.”I think, as long as the players want it – which I think they would, because it would mean more revenue and, ultimately, a better product – I think it’s reasonable and something we would work toward,” Irsay-Gordon told the Indianapolis Star.Adding an 18th game would have to be collectively bargained with the NFL Players’ Association. And the NFLPA has over the last several years been vehemently opposed to the addition of an 18th game.But the same NFLPA has never been vehemently opposed to more money and benefits for players. And it’s never uttered any complaint when the idea of expanded rosters, meaning more jobs for more players, has been floated.So, do you smell a negotiation in the works?Speaking hypothetically, one agent told OutKick a negotiation might start with the idea that the NFL wants one more game. And then the players would get the extra bye week, expanded rosters, a higher minimum salary, greater post-retirement benefits and more off time during the offseason.Beyond the extra game, placing 18 of them overseas – twice as many as planned for 2026 – sounds easier than it actually is.”We’re early in that process,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said. “We’re expanding each year, we’re learning each year. We’re going into new markets and making sure every move we make, every new market we go into has to be successful.”Obviously, a lot has to be worked through to get to a stage that you described. I think the work we’re doing is making sure we have the foundation ready should that opportunity exist.”

Strait of Hormuz
President Trump on Tuesday suggested that he will withdraw troops from the Middle East and force Europe, Asia, and the Gulf nations to deal with Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after they refused his calls for help. 
President Trump previously asked NATO and Asia for help securing the Strait, but they refused.
“The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump said in a statement on Monday, offering to supply oil from the United States if the countries cannot “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”
He added. “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”
This comes amid reporting that Trump is ready to end the war regardless of security in the waterway.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told aides he may end the war with Iran without reopening the Strait as his timeline for the war of four to six weeks approaches its end.
His plan would then be to leave it for Europe and the Gulf states, who are heavily dependent on the flow of oil through the Strait, unlike the US, to deal with it.
On Tuesday, Trump appeared to move in this direction, posting the following message on Truth Social:
All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!

Trump further went off on France for being “VERY UNHELPFUL” in the war:
The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the “Butcher of Iran,” who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!! President DJT
Meanwhile,
Meanwhile, Trump says Iran is “agreeing with us” on his 15-point plan and that some oil is being allowed to flow through the Strait, but is still leveling threats to decimate Iran if a deal falls through.
“It’s really a new regime. It’s a group of people, people that we’ve never dealt with before, that are acting very reasonable. It is truly regime change,” he told reporters on Sunday.
On Monday, Trump threatened to escalate the war by targeting Iran’s energy and water infrastructure “if, for any reason, a deal is not shortly reached.”
President Trump Pauses Iranian Energy Plant Destruction, Announces New Deadline

This is a developing story. 
The post JUST IN: President Trump Tells Europe and Gulf States to Fix the Strait of Hormuz Themselves Amid Reports That He is Willing to End War Without Reopening Strait – “You’ll Have to Start Learning How to Fight for Yourself. Go Get Your Own Oil!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The New York Times issued two corrections on Monday after Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg called them over its coverage of President Donald Trump’s administration’s investor consortium.
Helberg called out the Times on Saturday for adding “completely fabricated quotes” in its article, “Trump Sets ‘Pax Silica’ Fund to Reduce Global Dependencies,” which covered the administration’s plan to collectively invest in energy products, minerals and semiconductors. The Times issued at least three corrections after misquoting Helberg several times.
“The @NYTimes completely FABRICATED quotes that never happened. We submitted corrections (multiple times). They ignored them. So for posterity, sharing my full remarks,” Helberg said.
The Times said the outlet corrected the errors after being made aware of them. The paper corrected an earlier statement that said the investment sought out $4 trillion, though it only sought $1 trillion. It also falsely quoted Helberg calling the situation in the Strait of Hormuz a “blessing,” though he actually called it a “lesson.”
(Official White House photo by Abe McNatt)
The article also initially reported that members were committed to investigating $1 trillion, though Helberg said they had that amount in assets under management. The Times did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Helberg said the new initiative would serve as a “catalyst” while the U.S. and other nations face supply chain concerns.
The Times has been forced to issue corrections while covering conservatives in the past, including when the outlet falsely reported that the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk made an antisemitic claim on his podcast. The outlet also notably issued a correction in 2021 after claiming that Border Patrol agents were whipping Haitian migrants with horse reins.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

“The water bill went up. The light bill went up. Now property taxes — what exactly are we doing here?”This was one of many cries of worry and frustration voiced by New York City residents at a recent public meeting, where they said that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s policies since taking office have made life more expensive. The backlash is significant as Mamdani, like many Democrats who swept into office in November, campaigned explicitly on making life more affordable for constituents. It’s not just in New York. Like Mamdani, Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger campaigned as a vocal critic of Republican economic policies. Now, she is facing voter outrage as costs in the Old Dominion continue to rise, and an economic climate that is increasingly seen as hostile to businesses drives away some of the biggest contributors to the tax base.The trend underscores mounting political risk for Democrats, who will now need to demonstrate that they’re keeping their promises ahead of the midterms.In New York City — the world’s financial capital and home to nearly 9 million — rising costs have national consequences.Residents say Mamdani is backtracking on campaign promises to lower housing costs, pointing to a proposed property tax hike, rising water bills and higher electricity costs as signs that life is only getting more expensive.With the city’s housing market already under strain, where demand far exceeds available supply, critics say Mamdani’s proposed rent freeze could discourage new construction, tighten inventory and push prices higher over time.MAMDANI BUDGET POURS MILLIONS INTO DEI OFFICES AND CUTS 5,000 NYPD JOBS”Economists — whether they are on the right or on the left — essentially are in universal agreement that when the government implements price controls in the rental market, you end up with housing shortages,” said E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation.Antoni argued the city’s affordability challenges are largely policy-driven. “If we look at the ways in which New York City is more expensive than other places around the country, it is chiefly due to bad public policy that has imposed those costs,” he said, adding that “doubling down on those government failures will only make it worse.”Edward Pinto, a senior fellow and co-director of the AEI Housing Center at the American Enterprise Institute, said Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents and increase property taxes in New York would be a “one-two wealth destruction punch.”MAMDANI’S ESTATE TAX PLAN COULD DRIVE WEALTH OUT OF STATE, CRITICS WARN”The rent freeze would drive multifamily property values down and the increase in property taxes would drive both multifamily and single-family values down. At the same time, the construction of new supply would contract and property upkeep would diminish as repairs are deferred and improvements are not made,” Pinto said.For tenants and homeowners, those shifts could translate into fewer housing options and higher long-term costs.When asked about Mamdani’s latest proposal — an estate tax plan that could pull middle-class families into a levy long aimed at the wealthy — Pinto warned it would deal a new blow to the city.”This proposal would destroy NYC’s wealth in a different manner,” Pinto said. “This estate tax proposal will mistreat capital and result in the voluntary exodus of NYC residents and their wealth to places like Florida and Tennessee,” he added.Despite the fact that Spanberger campaigned on affordability in Virginia, lawmakers from her party in Richmond are advancing a sweeping set of tax proposals that will raise costs for residents and businesses.They propose more than 50 taxes targeting income, investment and everyday economic activity, from joining a gym to bringing pets to the groomers.”This is part of a broader picture we’re seeing across blue states,” said Jack Salmon, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University focusing on tax and fiscal policy. “These states seem particularly determined to raise the tax burden on their highest-earning taxpayers.”At the center are changes to Virginia’s tax structure. One bill would raise top income tax rates to as high as 10%, while another would impose a 3.8% tax on investment income. CONSERVATIVE STATES SEE LOWER INFLATION THAN LIBERAL ONES NATIONWIDE, WHITE HOUSE DATA SHOWSFor some high earners, those levies could stack — pushing rates to 13.8% and moving Virginia closer to high-tax states.Lawmakers are also considering a range of new taxes and fees across the economy, from higher sales taxes and levies on deliveries and rideshare services to taxes on everyday services like repairs, gym memberships, dry cleaning and dog grooming, along with new taxes on large employers.Adding to the strain are rising energy costs. A Dominion Energy rate hike that took effect Jan. 1 reflects, in part, the costs of transitioning to offshore wind under the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) — a policy that could result in higher utility bills for customers.Spanberger has also moved to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon pricing program her predecessor, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, exited — a move critics warn will increase the burden on household energy bills.The mounting costs are already drawing concern from business leaders. Aerospace giant Boeing plans to move its headquarters from Virginia to Missouri, a shift expected to hit the state’s tax base and business climate. Even if the immediate fiscal impact is limited, the loss of high-paying headquarters jobs and the spending they support is expected to erode tax revenues and create ripple effects across the local economy, from reduced consumer spending to weaker demand for services.With costs rising and frustration mounting, voters will soon decide whether those promises still hold — or whether change is coming in November.Mamdani and Spanberger’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

→ A New York traveler went viral after he backed ICE agents assisting TSA during the DHS shutdown, calling their presence “common sense.”→ The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo enforced a stricter dress code after complaints and incidents at the event prompted limits on revealing attire.→ A new study found several Southern and southwestern states ranked among the most stressed in 2026, based on work, financial and health factors.→ A passenger said an airline forced her to buy a second seat under its “customer of size” policy, sparking a viral debate among travelers.→ An eyebrow-raising video showed a baggage handler tossing guitar cases onto the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport.→ A Florida captain hauled in a nearly 500-pound swordfish after a five-hour fight, then shared the catch with much of his community.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER→ Officials uncovered remains believed to be linked to the musketeer who inspired “The Three Musketeers.”→ Archaeologists recently uncovered a 5th-century Christian monastic site featuring paintings and an inscription.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE TRAVEL NEWSAn aviation expert told Fox News Digital that passengers seated near exits or toward the rear of a plane may have better chances of survival in an emergency.

FIRST ON FOX: Two dozen Republican state attorneys general are backing gun manufacturers in legal battles in New York, including in one case directly challenging New York Attorney General Letitia James’ role in attempting to expand liability against the manufacturers.Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led the states in filing amicus briefs Monday in lawsuits brought by Buffalo and Rochester, as well as one brought against James’ office, all of which center on New York’s effort to hold gun makers and sellers accountable for gun violence under a state public nuisance law. The AGs argued New York was infringing on a federal law that protects the firearms’ industry from liability and that the cases carry national implications.”These cases go far beyond New York,” Knudsen told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. “This is not just a New York thing by any stretch of the imagination. … It affects all of us.” Knudsen said blue states and liberal gun control advocates have repeatedly attempted to “get around” federal law and “go after and bankrupt firearms companies.”TRUMP ADMIN MAKES NEW CRIMINAL REFERRALS TO DOJ TARGETING NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMESThe lawsuits focus on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which is designed to shield gun makers and sellers from liability when their products are used in crimes. The Republican attorneys general argued in one of the amicus briefs that New York was attempting to sidestep that law with a “vague nuisance statute that specifically targets the firearms industry.”Knudsen sharply criticized James, who is named in one of the cases, accusing her of pushing an activist agenda while disregarding the PLCAA.”This is an attorney general who should know better,” Knudsen said. “We should be able to read case law and follow it, but she doesn’t seem to want to do that. Instead, she wants to be an activist. She wants to blame what I would say is probably the most legally regulated industry in America for the poor policies that she’s got going on in her own state.”An amicus brief was filed with the Supreme Court in the case naming James, National Shooting Sports Foundation v. James, in which the attorneys general urged the high court to step in, warning that New York’s law could allow states across the country to circumvent the PLCAA by building liabilities for gun makers into state laws. James has previously defended New York’s 2021 law as a public safety measure and hailed lower court rulings in the case as victories for “the rule of law.”Knudsen emphasized the stakes of the case for Second Amendment advocates.”We don’t have a Second Amendment in this country if we don’t have firearms manufacturers,” he said. “This is trying to kill the firearms manufacturing industry in this country one lawsuit at a time.”A separate amicus brief was filed in district court opposing lawsuits brought by the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, which argued gun manufacturers failed to install sufficient guardrails to prevent gun crimes and that the cities were entitled to damages for those crimes. The attorneys general countered that the gun industry is already heavily regulated and should not be held responsible for crimes in the cities that were carried out with guns that were made and sold legally.REPUBLICANS PUSH CAMPUS CARRY LAWS IN NEARLY A DOZEN STATES AS COLLEGE SHOOTINGS REIGNITE DEBATEThe Montana attorney general also warned that New York’s law reaches beyond the state’s borders and could allow New York to impose liability on gun manufacturers who are based out of state, raising constitutional concerns about interstate commerce.The Supreme Court could decide to intervene and address the New York law, in part because lower courts have been divided over how to interpret exceptions built into the PLCAA. Knudsen said he expects the justices to weigh in after they already addressed the law in Smith & Wesson Brands v. Mexico, a landmark case decided in favor of gun manufacturers last year.In that case, Mexico had argued that under the PLCAA, several major gun companies could be held responsible for illegal firearms trafficking and the gun violence that resulted from it. The justices found 9-0 that Mexico did not present enough evidence to make that claim. But the high court’s ruling did not address state laws that serve to counter the PLCAA, such as the one in New York.The Supreme Court brief focused on James was joined by 24 states: Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.The district court brief was joined by 23 states: Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.They mark the latest in a string of gun-related court interventions from Knudsen, who previously led red states in opposing Hawaii’s carry restrictions and a California magazine ban.Fox News Digital reached out to Letitia James’ office for comment, as well as an attorney in the Buffalo and Rochester case.

Burma junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, gives a blessing to Russian attack helicopters used to kill civilians.
Russia’s support for Burma (Myanmar)’s military junta has intensified since the February 2021 coup and deepened further after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, drawing the two sanctioned regimes into closer alignment.
While China remains the dominant external actor economically, Russia has become the junta’s primary defense partner.
The core of the relationship is military supply. Russia has delivered six Sukhoi Su-30 jets, the last arriving in December 2024, along with Mi-38T helicopters, munitions, and a range of drones.
According to some reports, Russian personnel have been servicing aircraft inside Burma.
According to ACLED, between February 2021 and March 2026, the junta conducted 5,912 airstrikes, killing at least 4,865 people, and 931 drone attacks, killing at least 366 more.
The UN identified airstrikes as the leading cause of civilian casualties, with deaths from aerial attacks rising 52 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Russia has also supplied advanced drones, including the fixed-wing Albatross-M5, the Orlan-10E with optical and thermal imaging and 16-hour endurance, the kamikaze-style VT-40, and a reported shipment of Zala Lancet suicide drones manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern.
These systems outperform the commercial drones used by resistance forces and are equipped with infrared cameras enabling night attacks.
Russian-supplied anti-drone systems can intercept and disable resistance UAVs. Following drone training support from Russia and China in early 2024, the junta established a dedicated Drone Warfare Command.
It has not been fully verified, but there have been reports of Russian technicians having been spotted at Burma Air Force bases, involved in drone operations.
No comparable Chinese technicians have been reported on the ground; Chinese training is believed to take place inside China.
In May 2025, Burma’s defense minister traveled to Moscow to meet Russia’s deputy defense minister to discuss military technology and training cooperation. Russia has reportedly supported drone operations in Rakhine and Kachin states.
The junta has also adopted Russian battlefield tactics. Nationwide conscription introduced in 2024 has added an estimated 100,000 soldiers to the military’s ranks, who are deployed in human wave attacks against rebel positions, mirroring tactics used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
In February 2026, Russia and Burma formalized the relationship with a five-year military cooperation agreement running to 2030, announced after Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited Naypyidaw.
Additional cooperation includes a satellite imagery center Russia established in Naypyidaw, enhancing the junta’s battlefield awareness, and joint naval exercises.
The relationship is reciprocal. Burma is the only Southeast Asian nation to have endorsed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has reportedly supplied Russia with mortar shells and tank-targeting systems.
The two countries also collaborate on energy. Burma began importing Russian gasoline and fuel oil in 2022, filling a gap left when Western and Asian companies, including Chevron, TotalEnergies, Malaysia’s Petronas, and Thailand’s PTTEP, exited the country.
The junta established a purchasing committee headed by a close ally of Min Aung Hlaing to manage fuel imports. Burma was also planning a pipeline to receive Russian energy routed through India or China.
In March 2026, three Russian naval vessels docked in Yangon. State media in Russia and Burma portrayed the arrival as a goodwill mission which involved sports competitions and joint exercises.
However, sources close to Burma’s parallel National Unity Government reported they were likely delivering weapons and potentially fuel.
Russia’s Rosatom signed an agreement to build a small modular nuclear reactor in Burma, and the two countries signed a memorandum to construct a port and oil refinery at the Dawei Special Economic Zone on the Andaman coast.
A broader investment agreement covers transport infrastructure, metallurgy, agriculture, and telecommunications.
Most of these projects remain aspirational, constrained by Burma’s weak economy, ongoing conflict, and Russia’s limited capacity under its own sanctions regime.
In addition to the direct support the generals receive from Beijing and Moscow, they are also receiving military hardware from China and Russia’s close ally, North Korea.
In September 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned five individuals and one entity for selling weapons to the Burma military regime through North Korea’s Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID), also known as the 221 General Bureau, which serves as Pyongyang’s primary arms dealer and exporter of ballistic missile-related equipment.
The Burma broker was Royal Shune Lei Company Limited, which first arranged a weapons deal with KOMID in 2022. Since late 2023, its CEO and an employee traveled to China for multiple business meetings with KOMID representatives.
Kim Yong Ju, KOMID’s deputy representative in Beijing, coordinated the sale of two types of aerial bomb guidance kits, bombs, and airborne monitoring equipment for the Burma Air Force.
The meetings and visa arrangements for a Burma delegation to visit North Korea were conducted through Beijing.
Royal Shune Lei had already been sanctioned by the EU in December 2023, and by Canada and the United Kingdom in October 2024, before being sanctioned by the United States in September 2025.
Another member of the axis of autocracies, Iran, has been providing the junta with jet fuel. From October 2024 to December 2025, Iran delivered approximately 175,000 tons of jet fuel to Burma in nine shipments via two tankers, Reef and Noble, according to shipping documents reviewed by Reuters and satellite imagery analysis by the U.S. firm SynMax Intelligence.
Iran also dispatched shipments of urea, a key ingredient in junta munitions, including bombs dropped from drones and paragliders.
Burma Port Authority data shows at least 109,604 metric tonnes of aviation fuel were imported in 2025, a 69 percent increase from 2024 and the highest total since the coup, despite sanctions.
According to Amnesty International, the junta’s airstrikes increased from approximately 2,500 in 2024 to roughly 5,600 in 2025, with deaths rising from around 1,700 to 2,200.
The Iranian deliveries are closely tied to entities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which dominates Iran’s illicit trade networks. Jet fuel commands a 33 percent premium over crude, meaning the nine confirmed shipments may have earned Iran more than $120 million in hard currency.
The tankers used AIS spoofing, broadcasting false locations while loading at Bandar Abbas, and conducted ship-to-ship transfers to obscure the origin and destination of the fuel.
Both Russia and China block UN Security Council action against the junta and share an interest in preventing its defeat and the emergence of a Western-aligned government in Burma.
Russia’s strategic objectives are to sustain arms sales, secure energy contracts, and demonstrate that Western isolation efforts have failed.
Analysts note, however, that Russia has a history of not intervening decisively to save partners facing collapse, as seen in Syria and Venezuela.
The post Russian Weapons and Support Are Sustaining the Burma Junta appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Hegseth didn’t rule out sending ground troops to Iran.

The cost of a pound of ground beef has hit a major threshold. Depending on where you shop, the grocery staple likely costs more than the federal minimum wage.
Money analyzed ground beef prices at seven of the most popular grocery chains across the U.S., finding that 1 pound of the typical 20% fat ground beef costs between $6.49 and $8.96. Organic, grass-fed and leaner varieties tend to cost much more.
On the other hand, the federal minimum wage sits at $7.25 per hour.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the typical American consumes nearly 60 pounds of beef each year. Widely available and easy to prepare, ground beef serves as a grocery mainstay for many families, and lately, prices have been skyrocketing.
According to the latest inflation data, the average price of a pound of lean ground beef is $8.34. On Friday, USDA reported that the cheapest variety of ground beef was $5.41 per pound on average, while ground beef patties cost nearly $8 per pound.
Rising beef prices are due in large part to an ongoing cattle crisis. According to a blog post from the American Farm Bureau Federation beef cow inventory has hit the lowest point since 1961. Farmers are dealing with severe droughts and infectious diseases that are decimating their herds. Yet demand from shoppers remains strong, and that translates into higher prices on the shelf.
As the cost of groceries continues to strain budgets, ground beef prices — much like gas prices — serve as a common source of sticker shock for shoppers.

Grocer

Ground beef (80/20) price per pound

Publix

$8.96

Kroger

$7.99

Whole Foods

$7.49

Walmart

$7.23

Winn Dixie

$7.19

Aldi

$6.49

Trader Joe’s

$6.49

Prices for a one pound package of 80-20 ground beef as of March 30. Adam Hardy for Money.com

Federal minimum wage vs. beef prices
The federal minimum wage has not budged since July 2009, when it reached $7.25. This 17-year stagnation is the longest in U.S. history.
At the time the $7.25 national minimum wage was set, a pound of ground beef cost about $2.20 per pound, meaning one hour of work could purchase more than three pounds of beef — enough to make a dinner or two for a family of four.
Now, it can barely cover one.
Ground beef prices ticking above the federal minimum wage is a largely symbolic development. Not counting tipped workers, only about 82,000 Americans earn $7.25 an hour. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 33 states and Washington, D.C., have set minimum wages higher than the federal floor.
D.C., for example, has the highest minimum wage in the country, at $17.50 an hour.
Nonetheless, rising beef prices represent the constraint that many Americans experience as the cost of daily life grows.
Since 2020, the cost of groceries has spiked over 31%, and there’s no indication that they’re on the way down. In fact, experts are bracing for just the opposite. The ongoing Iran War is disrupting global trade routes, which has threatened fertilizer shortages, while oil prices have jumped about 50%.
Both issues could contribute to higher prices at the checkout counter.

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Chavez was ripe for cancellation.