Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council and a senior economic adviser to Donald Trump, struggled to defend claims about declining Thanksgiving meal prices during a recent television appearance. On ABC’s “This Week with Jonathan Karl,” Hassett was challenged over assertions that holiday groceries were cheaper this year. He initially claimed not to understand the inquiry before pivoting to a talking point about a Walmart bundle being less expensive.
Karl countered with evidence showing the apparent discount stemmed from a reduced product count—six fewer items and seven fewer units—and a 15 percent increase in generic brands within the package. He clarified that for most consumers shopping for a full Thanksgiving meal, overall costs have in fact risen.
Hassett shifted focus to former President Joe Biden, blaming him for inflation, despite Karl’s reminder that Trump is currently in office. The adviser continued to reference Biden’s tenure, arguing that real incomes are recovering after a $3,000 drop during the previous administration. He also cited lower gasoline prices and reduced mortgage rates as signs of economic improvement, suggesting home buying is now more affordable.
However, Hassett did not directly address the core issue: the increasing expense of grocery shopping during the holiday season. His responses emphasized political narratives rather than concrete data on food affordability, leaving the original concern unresolved.
— news from The Daily Beast
— News Original —
Trump’s Economic Goon Gets Schooled on Thanksgiving Prices
Donald Trump’s most senior economic adviser flailed as he was challenged on air Sunday about the cost of Thanksgiving meal prices.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett awkwardly insisted he “didn’t understand” the question when pressed on This Week with Jonathan Karl about his boasts about Thanksgiving food prices being false.
Hassett fell back on an oft-cited claim from Trump that a Walmart Thanksgiving package is cheaper this year, but Karl came prepared with receipts.
“Wait, wait. I got to stop you,” he said, before referring to an infographic that explained how the cheaper price was due to the package having six fewer products, seven fewer units, and 15% more generic brands.
“So, I mean, Thanksgiving, if you are going to the store to buy groceries for Thanksgiving, it’s going to be more expensive this year,” he summarized.
“I really don’t understand where you are going in the sense that Joe Biden gave us—Joe Biden gave us twenty percent inflation—” Hassett began, before being stopped by the host.
“He is not president. Donald Trump is president,” Karl stated.
Hassett ignored the interruption, and again moved his attention to the former president. “You want us to fix the hole that Joe Biden caused right away.”
He later added: “This is something that is being fixed fast, and real incomes are up after dropping about three thousand under Joe Biden.”
The Trump loyalist continued his focus on Biden, but didn’t directly answer the question about the affordability of groceries as the holiday season begins.
“There is a whole bunch of stuff where the price is lower, gasoline, mortgage rates—mortgage rates have gone way down. It’s cheaper to buy a home now than it was, did you know that?” Hassett argued.