A senior economic adviser to President Donald Trump faced widespread ridicule this weekend after pointing to a modest decrease in the cost of Thanksgiving turkey as evidence of the administration's successful economic management.
Adviser's Anecdotal Evidence Meets Skepticism
Kevin Hassett, who chairs the White House National Economic Council, made the comments during a Sunday appearance on "Fox & Friends Weekend." He boasted that his family's holiday meal was more plentiful this year due to a specific saving. "Turkey prices were down 19 cents," Hassett stated. He elaborated that he purchased two birds—one generic and one fancy—to test a previous claim, concluding there was little difference and advising viewers to "buy the cheaper turkey next year."
The remarks were quickly circulated and mocked on social media platform X. Critics were swift to point out the limitations of using personal grocery shopping as a national economic indicator. "One person’s grocery receipt isn’t economic data. National food inflation requires broader metrics than a sample size of two turkeys," one user wrote. Another added, "‘I bought 2 turkeys!!’ is not a great response to ‘Americans can’t afford to eat.’"
Broader Data Contradicts Anecdote
Hassett did not clarify the source of his 19-cent figure or specify if it referred to total cost or price per pound. His anecdote stands in contrast to official government statistics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index reported that food-at-home prices actually increased by 2.7% from September 2024 to September 2025.
This incident follows a previous contentious interview last month with ABC's Jonathan Karl, where Hassett defended President Trump's fact-checked claim that the overall cost of Thanksgiving dinner was lower than under President Joe Biden. "You want us to fix the hole that Joe Biden caused right away," Hassett argued. "The prices went up so much under Joe Biden, and inflation is way down."
Implications for Federal Reserve Leadership
The controversy emerges amid reports about Hassett's potential future role. Bloomberg reports that Hassett, with assets worth at least $7.6 million in 2024, is President Trump's top choice for the next chair of the Federal Reserve. The current chair, Jerome Powell, was recently called a "numbskull" by Trump for not cutting interest rates faster.
Adding to the speculation, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated "a very good chance" that Trump will announce his Fed chair appointee before Christmas. Hassett's public comments, therefore, are being scrutinized not just for their economic merit but also for what they signal about the policy perspective of a leading candidate for one of the world's most powerful financial positions.
