President Trump Signs Bold Executive Order to Lower Drug Prices and Put American Seniors First
AMAC Action applauds President Donald J. Trump for signing a sweeping new executive order aimed at one of the most urgent and long-standing challenges facing our members and all American seniors: the high cost of prescription drugs.
In a move that directly delivers on one of his core campaign promises, President Trump is taking decisive action to ensure that patients stop overpaying for the medicines they depend on. This bold executive order, part of a broader vision to restore fairness and transparency in the healthcare system, tackles the longstanding inequity that has forced American consumers to subsidize drug discounts for wealthy nations overseas.
The facts are as troubling as they are unacceptable. Although the United States represents less than five percent of the world’s population, Americans fund roughly 75 percent of global pharmaceutical profits. Meanwhile, foreign governments negotiate deep discounts from pharmaceutical manufacturers, who then recoup their losses by charging Americans—especially our seniors—markedly higher prices.
President Trump’s executive order breaks this cycle of injustice by directing the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce to hold foreign countries accountable for pricing practices that drive up costs for Americans. It also empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a mechanism allowing patients to purchase prescription drugs directly from manufacturers at the “Most-Favored-Nation” (MFN) price—the lowest price that manufacturers charge any economically comparable country.
If drug manufacturers fail to cooperate and offer MFN pricing, the order authorizes HHS to pursue aggressive regulatory actions to force transparency, reduce costs, and end anti-competitive practices. This is exactly the kind of leadership AMAC members have called for – putting patients before profits and holding Big Pharma accountable.
“It’s great that President Trump is telling the world that American patients will no longer fund the majority of the innovation and research & development for new therapies drug companies produce and then market worldwide,” said AMAC Action Senior Vice President Andy Mangione. “Seniors living on fixed incomes should see a significant financial benefit while gaining better access to life-saving medications as a result of this order. Now, Congress must act and pass the budget resolution that contains measures to reform pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that should reduce drug costs even further.”
This executive order builds upon President Trump’s track record of standing up for seniors. In his first term, he advanced reforms to prevent Medicare from paying more for drugs than other nations. Unfortunately, the Biden administration rescinded that initiative before it could take effect.
The contrast is clear. While the Biden administration’s so-called “negotiated prices” under Medicare were still on average 78 percent higher than prices in comparable countries, President Trump is pushing for real relief with bold action and concrete results. Some medications could see price reductions of as much as 30 to 80 percent for some patients.
This latest order notably seeks to further lower costs for low-income patients by promoting massive discounts on life-saving medications. It also paves the way for greater availability of generics and biosimilars and strengthens price transparency measures that President Trump championed during his first term.
But while this executive order is a major step forward, the battle is far from over.
One of the greatest obstacles to true reform in prescription drug pricing remains the opaque and monopolistic practices of pharmacy benefit managers. PBMs, who serve as the middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain, have in recent years displayed a troubling lack of transparency in their business practices. The consolidation of power among a handful of PBMs has led to serious concerns that they may be abusing their position—capturing discounts meant for patients and driving up out-of-pocket costs for seniors who can least afford it.
As Mangione notes, Congress must now act to reform PBMs and introduce real accountability to the system. Reforming PBMs is critical not only to ensuring the success of President Trump’s executive order, but also to building a healthcare system that truly works for the American people.
That’s why AMAC members are leading the charge against the influence of PBMs and demanding a better deal for seniors. Through grassroots engagement, legislative advocacy, and public awareness campaigns, AMAC Action continues to fight for fairness in drug pricing and push for a system where seniors are no longer burdened by hidden fees, murky contracts, and inflated costs.
President Trump’s latest executive order marks a defining moment in this fight. It sends a clear message that the days of American patients footing the bill for global drug discounts are coming to an end. It delivers real hope to millions of seniors who have struggled for too long to afford their prescriptions. And it reinforces AMAC’s top healthcare priority: putting our members—and all American seniors—first.
Legislation and Policy Support
S. 1630 – More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act
This bill prioritizes the well-being of women during the most critical phases of motherhood – prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood which is important for supporting and improving America’s families. By expanding access to pregnancy resources, telehealth services in rural areas, and adoption support, this legislation ensures that no woman feels alone or abandoned on her journey through motherhood. Until the text of the bill is uploaded to Congress.gov, you can read it here. Click here to read AMAC Action’s letter of support.
AMAC Action Statement of Support for “The One Big, Beautiful Bill”
Thoughtful cuts in federal spending are not just prudent, they are essential to the long-term health of our economy and the preservation of the American Dream for future generations. This bill also improves transparency and regulates spread pricing practices by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). AMAC Action supports the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” as a bold and necessary step toward securing the financial future of both our nation and its seniors. Click here to read AMAC Action’s letter of support.
Action ☆ Academy
McCulloch v. Maryland: The Birth of Big Government
One of the ten most important Supreme Court cases, McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) opened the door to an expansive federal government. In the 5-minute video McCulloch v. Maryland: The Birth of Big Government, John Yoo, Professor of Law at UC Berkeley, clearly explains how the slippery slope to big government began. PragerU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes American values in short educational videos for people of all ages.
Term of the Week: Smithsonian Institution
“A group of over a dozen museums and research and publication facilities, such as the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of History and Technology, the National Zoo, and The National Gallery of Art. Many of the Smithsonian’s buildings are on the Washington Mall. The institution is named after James Smithson, an Englishman whose bequest enabled its founding in the nineteenth century.”
(Hirsch, E. D., et al. The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin, 1993, p. 341.)
Entry to the locations in Washington, DC is free, and all are open every day except Christmas Day.
Learn more:
Class for May and June
Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics: How to Lead a Good Life
How do you live well? In his book Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle contends that happiness is the result of a person’s character, which in turn is shaped by choices made in day-to-day living. Sign up for Hillsdale College’s free 10-lecture course Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics: How to Lead a Good Life and discover Aristotle’s vision of a happy life and how it can be achieved.
Quote of the Week
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.”
— James Madison, The Federalist No. 45
Fight to save the America we love! If you’d like to become a volunteer AMAC Action Delegate, please contact us at (855) 809-6976 or [email protected].
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