President Donald Trump’s high financial adviser Kevin Hassett drew criticism on-line this weekend after boasting of a paltry decrease in the price of turkey this Thanksgiving as proof of Trump’s power in dealing with the economic system.
Kevin Hassett, who chairs the White Home Nationwide Financial Council, steered that his household’s Thanksgiving meal was extra plentiful than ever this 12 months as a consequence of a financial savings of 19 cents.
“Turkey costs had been down 19 cents,” he stated in an look on “Fox & Friends Weekend” Sunday. “I purchased two completely different ones as a result of another present was criticizing me as a result of I stated, ‘Oh, generic turkeys are fairly good.’ So I made two this time and I didn’t actually discover the distinction. So purchase the cheaper turkey subsequent 12 months, of us. However you may get the flamboyant one if you would like, too.”
Not surprisingly, Hassett’s remarks had been extensively mocked and debated on social media.
“One individual’s grocery receipt isn’t financial knowledge. Nationwide meals inflation requires broader metrics than a pattern measurement of two turkeys,” one individual wrote on X.
Added another: “‘I purchased 2 turkeys!!’ isn’t an awesome response to ‘Individuals can’t afford to eat.’”
It’s unclear the place Hassett had obtained the 19-cent statistic, or whether or not he was referring to the full value of the turkey itself versus the worth per pound. Nevertheless, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Shopper Worth Index just lately discovered that food-at-home costs increased by 2.7% from September 2024 to September 2025.
His feedback additionally adopted a contentious interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl final month during which he defended Trump’s debunked claim that the general value of Thanksgiving dinner this 12 months was lower than it was below former President Joe Biden.
“You need us to repair the opening that Joe Biden prompted straight away,” he stated. “The costs went up a lot below Joe Biden, and inflation is method down.”
Hassett — who in 2024 had property price no less than $7.6 million, according to Bloomberg ― is reportedly Trump’s high choose for the subsequent Federal Reserve chair.
The president just lately deemed sitting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell a “numbskull” for not reducing rates of interest shortly sufficient, whereas Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated there was “an excellent probability” Trump will announce an appointee earlier than Christmas.
