(Daily Signal)—Donald Trump Jr. expressed agreement with Kamala Harris supporter Mark Cuban on X yesterday on the issue of combating high drug prices.
Cuban critiqued Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on social media over her characterization of why drug prices are so high for Americans compared to the rest of the world.
“Big Pharma companies like Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer charge Americans the highest drug prices in the WORLD while often paying ZERO dollars in federal taxes themselves. Why? Because our tax system is rigged. Now, Republicans want to make it worse. I’m fighting back,” the Massachusetts senator posted on X and linked below it to a CNBC piece about the legislator’s grilling of drug company executives.
The Shark Tank star who recently left the show after 15 seasons was sharp in his response to the progressive senator.
“No. It’s because PBMs [pharmacy benefit managers] corrupt health care,” he said on X.
Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs for short, are third-party administrators of drug prescriptions who negotiate between the groups that pay for the drugs, drugmakers, and pharmacies. They have become the target of increasingly bipartisan regulation.
“Big Pharma wishes they could set their own pricing. They don’t. PBMs control formularies and manipulate prices, in exchange for providing pharma access to patients. It’s how they maximize rebate revenue,” Cuban continued.
“In fact, 3 PBMs NEGOTIATE MORE THAN 90% OF REBATES for commercial insurance plans. That’s your area of expertise, and you have done nothing,” the billionaire concluded.
According to a 2024 report from the Federal Trade Commission, “the three largest PBMs now manage nearly 80% of all prescriptions filled in the United States.”
The president’s son, Trump Jr., then jumped into the debate.
“Didn’t think I’d be RTing Mark for a while, but he’s 100% right on this issue,” Trump Jr. said.
“Agreed,” Silicon Valley venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale added.
In April, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law first of its kind legislation, which banned PBMs from also owning, managing, or controlling pharmacies licensed in the state of Arkansas.
“For far too long, drug middlemen called PBMs have taken advantage of lax regulations to abuse customers, inflate drug prices, and cut off access to critical medications. Not anymore,” Sanders said in a press statement released for the signing.
“Pharmacy benefit managers can still operate in our state; they just can’t continue to mistreat patients and box out other pharmacies,” Sanders added in an op-ed.
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a trade organization that represents major PBMs, promptly sued the state over the law.
“Our lawsuit aims to protect patients in Arkansas from the implementation of this dangerous, misguided policy. If implemented, the Arkansas legislation mandating forced closures of pharmacies would have a devastating impact on patient access to critical medications and pharmacy services,” the association said in a press statement.
Sanders, a Republican who served as White House press secretary during the first Trump administration, attributed the successful passage of the law to the elder Trump holding office now.
“If you’d asked me a year ago if we could change these entrenched interests, I’m not sure I would have thought it possible. But with President [Donald] Trump in office, everything is changing,” the governor explained.
Indeed, the president has promised to “cut out the middlemen,” and he may get his chance if Congress holds steady and includes provisions to regulate PBMs in the budget reconciliation bill.
One proposed provision would seek to regulate spread pricing, the practice of a PBM charging “payers like Medicaid more than they pay the pharmacy for a medication.”
The provision would prohibit the ability to claim federal matching funds for spread pricing where “the PBM charges the state or a managed care organization an amount for the dispensing of a drug that exceeds the amount paid to the pharmacies or providers, net of all pricing concessions,” according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.