Trump reiterates Thanksgiving meal claim in new video
President Donald Trump recently reiterated his claims that Thanksgiving meals are more affordable under his administration as opposed to the previous Biden administration in a new video statement. Trump made these comments while speaking to reporters at Palm Beach International Airport before boarding Air Force One. He specifically mentioned that pre-packaged Thanksgiving meals from Walmart are priced lower this year, suggesting that the cost of Thanksgiving meals and associated items have dropped significantly since he took office.
Trump’s assertions regarding Thanksgiving meal affordability have been a recurring theme in his recent public statements. He previously shared a post on the conservative social media platform Truth Social, claiming that Thanksgiving dinners this year are 25% cheaper under his leadership compared to the previous year under the Biden administration. During a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, he mentioned that Walmart had announced that this year’s Thanksgiving meal would be 25% cheaper than last year.
However, upon closer inspection, Trump’s claims about reduced Thanksgiving meal costs are somewhat misleading. While it is true that Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving meal basket is indeed approximately 25% cheaper than its 2024 counterpart, the decrease in price can primarily be attributed to the fact that this year’s basket contains fewer items than the previous year’s basket. The 2025 basket, which costs less than $40 and can feed 10 people, consists of 15 products, whereas the 2024 basket had 21 products. Consequently, the cost per person for this year’s Thanksgiving meal is around $4, compared to less than $7 per person in 2024.
John Furner, the president and CEO of Walmart U.S., shared these savings in a LinkedIn post, emphasizing that this year’s Thanksgiving meal basket has a higher percentage of items from Walmart’s “Great Value” brand compared to last year’s basket, which featured more name brands. Despite the cost savings, important traditional items like pecan pie, mini marshmallows, muffin mix, sweet potatoes, yellow onions, and celery stalks are missing from this year’s basket. This means that while the overall cost has decreased, consumers might have to make compromises on certain traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
In addition to Walmart, other retailers like Target, Schnucks, Aldi, and Lidl have also announced lower prices for Thanksgiving meals. Target’s four-person meal costs less than $20 and includes substitutions for certain items. Schnucks is offering its lowest price on a frozen store-brand turkey in over 15 years, while Lidl is also providing their Thanksgiving meal at an all-time low price. Aldi has stated that their prices are lower this year compared to 2024.
Overall, while Trump’s claims about reduced Thanksgiving meal costs under his administration hold some truth, the decrease in prices primarily stems from fewer and different items being included in this year’s Thanksgiving meal baskets. Consumers may need to carefully consider their options and the impact of these changes on their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations.