Trump Declares Democrats’ Affordability Issue 'Dead'
President Donald Trump claimed that the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in 2025 is 25% lower than last year, declaring the Democrats’ focus on affordability a “dead” issue. On Thursday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social:
“2025 Thanksgiving dinner under Trump is 25% lower than 2024 Thanksgiving dinner under Biden, according to Walmart. My [costs] are lower than the Democrats on everything, especially oil and gas! So the Democrats ‘affordability’ issue is DEAD! STOP LYING!!!”
Contrasting Statements on Affordability
James Blair, political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign, emphasized the President’s attention to affordability and the cost of living in an interview with Politico. However, Blair’s comments seemed to contrast with Trump’s dismissal of the issue.
“The president is very keyed into what’s going on, and he recognizes, like anybody, that it takes time to do an economic turnaround, but all the fundamentals are there, and I think you’ll see him be very, very focused on prices and cost of living,” Blair said.
Blair highlighted the success of Zohran Mamdani by saying:
“Why did Zohran Mamdani do so well last night? He relentlessly focused on affordability. People talk about communists; they can say all these things, but the fact is, he was talking about the cost of living.”
Political Context
Blair also attributed Republican Jack Ciattarelli's defeat in the New Jersey gubernatorial race to insufficient focus on affordability issues during the campaign.
Author’s summary: Trump claims significant improvement in affordability under his leadership, while his team acknowledges ongoing economic challenges and the political importance of the cost of living.