White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made an effort to claim that Thanksgiving in 2023 will be one of the “cheapest ever” by presenting the food menu and the cost of each item during a Monday press briefing.
“While inflation caused by the pandemic and Russia’s war continues to be a challenge, we have seen important progress. Just in time for holiday travel, gas prices are down a dollar and 70 cents from their peak, airline tickets are down 13 percent over the last year and car rentals are down about 10 percent,” Jean-Pierre said.
“And as we start preparing our Thanksgiving meals, grocery inflation is at its lowest level in over two years with prices for eggs, milk, bacon and fresh veggies lower than last year. In fact, according to the American Farm Bureau, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner fell this year. Prices are down for turkey, stuffing peas, cranberries, pie crust and whipping cream,” Jean-Pierre continued while standing next to a graphic showing the price decline of each ingredient named.
The average cost for Americans to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday is the most expensive in history and since Biden took office. The total cost of a Thanksgiving dinner has risen 26%, E.J. Antoni, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. (RELATED: Biden’s Inner Circle Is Reportedly Scrambling To Salvage ‘Bidenomics’ Messaging After Months Of Failure)
From January 2021 to October 2023, the price of turkey rose 31.2%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). During the same stretch, gravies and various sauces featured at Thanksgiving dinners rose 14.6%.
Since Biden took office until October 2023, the price of bread has increased by 26.1%, according to the BLS. The price of potatoes increased 14.6% during the same period.
KJP opens today’s briefing by whipping out a literal food menu and claiming that this Thanksgiving is actually one of the cheapest ever pic.twitter.com/j4vUYp2Fk7
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) November 20, 2023
“Because wages are rising, this Thanksgiving dinner is the fourth cheapest ever as a percentage of average earnings,” Jean-Pierre said.”Finally, as we look ahead to holiday shopping since last year, prices for toys are down about four percent, used cars and trucks are down seven percent and TVs are down nine percent.”
“Lowering costs for Americans continues to be the president’s top economic priority, from strengthening supply chains to lowering energy and healthcare costs to cracking down on price gouging by banning hidden junk fees, President Biden’s policy will continue bringing relief to American families,” the press secretary continued.