Trump Highlights Walmart’s Turkey-Day Savings Yet Misses Critical Details Behind The Deal
Trump cited a Walmart Christmas dinner bundle as proof that his government is helping American families save money. He claimed that the retailer’s 2025 Thanksgiving dinner package is 25% cheaper than last year’s and that the cost of living is lowering under his watch, despite complaints. Closer inspection of the statistics and context shows that the price drop does not fully reflect what consumers are getting.
Trump tweeted that Walmart rates the 2025 bundle “25 percent lower than 2024 Thanksgiving dinner under Biden, according to Walmart.” He claimed this vindicated Republican affordability arguments and that his government exceeded his predecessor. He further linked this example to electricity, grocery, and critical commodities cost reductions.
Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving bundle offers 10 servings for $40, or under $4 per person. This is a significant decrease from last year’s bundle, which served eight people at $56 each.
However, the comparison is unfair. According to numerous evaluations, the 2025 package has fewer goods and more store-brand components than national brands. The 2024 kit contained pre-made pie, brand-name cranberry sauce, and premium sides, while the 2025 kit does not. Since bundle composition changed, the reduced price may indicate less output rather than cost reduction.
Data on the economy complicates matters. Trump claims the Walmart bundle has reduced prices, while consumer and food inflation remain high. For example, food costs jumped 3.1 percent through September, while the consumer price index rose 3 percent.
Disconnection matters to voters. As grocery, petrol, and housing expenses rise, exit polls and studies reveal affordability is a top issue. Cost of living rhetoric resonated more with voters than price decreases in New Jersey and Virginia, according to recent state-level election results.
Trump’s Walmart bundle is true in its basic arithmetic, but the framing narrows his message. Smaller or less-premium packages may be relevant for budget-conscious customers, but they may not reduce inflation or cost-of-living pressures. Thus, the headline “25 percent savings” should be qualified by what changed in the offer and how average households afford more than a holiday lunch.
To conclude, the Walmart bundle shows some improvement in holiday-mealtime budgeting, but it does not prove that affordability is improving for most Americans. What everyday savings are gained is questioned by the economic context and package content changes. Trump’s emphasis on this arrangement is political, but its consumer impact is unclear.
Sources
ABC News, The Independent, The Daily Beast, Reuters, People
