Overview
- President Trump continued to assert that Thanksgiving costs are about 25% lower, citing Walmart and other retailers, and suggested further price relief is coming.
- WRAL’s review found Walmart’s 2025 bundle fell to about $40 from $55 in 2024 because items were removed or downsized, rating Trump’s claim Mostly False.
- The Walmart promotion compared 21 products last year to 15 this year, dropping from 29 individual items to 22 and leaning more on private-label substitutions.
- An on-air exchange on ABC’s This Week saw host Jon Karl interrupt NEC Director Kevin Hassett over the bundle comparison, underscoring press skepticism of the claim.
- Official data show September CPI up 3.0% year over year and grocery prices up roughly 1.9% since Trump took office, as economists note retailers can use loss-leader holiday bundles that don’t reflect overall inflation; the White House also pointed to deals at Lidl, Aldi, Target and Schnucks.