President Donald Trump issued letters to 17 pharmaceutical companies urging them to reduce drug prices in the United States. This action follows an executive order he signed earlier this year aimed at addressing high costs associated with prescription medications. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump’s letters are part of an ongoing effort to tackle what he describes as exorbitant drug pricing, which reportedly sees American consumers paying significantly more—up to three times higher—than patients in other developed nations.
In his communication to Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks, Trump reiterated the goals of his executive order titled "Delivering Most-Favored-Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients," which aims to align U.S. drug prices with those of other countries. The letters were discussed during a press briefing, where Leavitt indicated that copies would be made available to the media. Trump has also begun sharing these letters on his social media platform, TRUTH Social.
The president emphasized that he expects actionable commitments from the pharmaceutical companies within 60 days, including extending most-favored nation pricing to Medicaid and ensuring that newly launched drugs are priced similarly to those in other countries. He expressed that the current pricing system represents an undue burden on American families and called for collaborative efforts to achieve price parity across nations. Trump warned that if drug manufacturers do not comply, his administration would consider various measures to protect American consumers from high drug costs.
The companies receiving similar letters include major pharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck, among others. Each letter appeared to have a personal touch, with some CEOs' first names handwritten in place of their last names, indicating a direct appeal from Trump.