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President Trump’s Thanksgiving Dinner Claim Missing Key Context
President Donald Trump took to social Social Wednesday evening to claim that Walmart’s Thanksgiving dinner prices had dropped by 25% under his administration compared to costs during President Biden’s term, framing it as evidence that Republicans are the party of “affordability.”
“Walmart just announced that Prices for a Thanksgiving Dinner is now down 25% since under Sleepy/Crooked Joe Biden, in 2024,” Trump wrote. “AFFORDABILITY is a Republican Stronghold. Hopefully, Republicans will use this irrefutable fact!”
However, the comparison quickly drew scrutiny when shared more widely on social media. A community note was added to the post when it circulated on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out critical context: Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving bundle contains significantly fewer items than the 2024 version.
According to Walmart’s own information, the 2025 meal bundle includes 22 items for a total cost of $39.33, while the 2024 bundle featured 29 items and was priced at approximately $56. The 2024 bundle was advertised as serving eight people for less than $7 per person.
Despite this clarification, Trump doubled down on his claim Thursday morning, writing: “2025 Thanksgiving dinner under Trump is 25% lower than 2024 Thanksgiving dinner under Biden, according to Walmart. My cost are lower than the Democrats on everything, especially oil and gas! So the Democrats ‘affordability’ issue is DEAD! STOP LYING!!!”
The timing of Trump’s focus on affordability comes in the wake of significant Republican losses in Tuesday’s elections, where economic concerns played a central role for many voters. In New York City, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani ran a successful campaign centered almost exclusively on addressing the rising cost of living.
These electoral setbacks have prompted some Republican strategists and media personalities to urge Trump to pivot his messaging toward domestic economic concerns. On Wednesday, Dr. Gina Loudon of MAGA network Real America’s Voice pleaded with Trump to “come home” and focus on economic issues affecting everyday Americans rather than international matters.
“People are feeling completely disabled economically,” Loudon said. “And if we don’t come home and focus on our domestic issues, I’m afraid our midterms will look like this.”
The focus on Thanksgiving dinner prices highlights the ongoing political battle over inflation and consumer costs. Food prices in particular have become a political flashpoint, with Americans consistently ranking grocery costs among their top economic concerns in recent polling. Thanksgiving, as a major American holiday centered around a traditional meal, serves as a particularly visible benchmark for food affordability.
Walmart, America’s largest retailer, has significant influence in the consumer marketplace. The company’s pricing decisions and marketing around holiday meals affect millions of shoppers nationwide. When contacted about the comparison between their 2024 and 2025 Thanksgiving bundles, Walmart did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The discrepancy between Trump’s portrayal of the price decrease and the actual change in bundle contents underscores the challenges in making direct economic comparisons, particularly in politically charged contexts. Consumer advocates often note that package downsizing—offering less product at similar or slightly lower prices—has become a common practice among retailers and manufacturers in response to inflationary pressures.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, economic issues like affordability and inflation are likely to remain central to political messaging from both parties, with Republicans seeking to rebound from recent losses and Democrats working to maintain their momentum.
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5 Comments
While affordability is certainly important, fact-checking is crucial to ensure we have the full picture. I appreciate the effort to provide context around Trump’s claim – it’s a good reminder to be cautious about political rhetoric.
Fact-checking is so important, especially when it comes to politically charged claims. I’m glad to see the media taking the time to provide the full context around Trump’s statement.
Interesting development on the Thanksgiving dinner price claim. It’s a good example of why we need to be careful about taking political statements at face value – there’s often more to the story.
Hmm, it seems Trump may have oversimplified the Thanksgiving dinner price comparison. I’m curious to see how Walmart’s bundle changes over time and how that impacts actual affordability for consumers.
Interesting claim about Thanksgiving dinner prices, but it’s important to look at the full context before drawing conclusions. Walmart’s 2025 bundle has fewer items than 2024, so the 25% reduction doesn’t tell the whole story.