Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, has raised alarms over a persistent rise in core inflation, signaling an accelerating trend. He notes that inflation, already above the Federal Reserve's target, is worsening due to tariffs, with goods most affected seeing significant price hikes. Strain predicts that the full impact of tariff-driven inflation has yet to unfold, with more evidence of its effects on prices expected in the coming months.