WASHINGTON, D.C. Nov 27, 2025 – As families across America gathered for Thanksgiving feasts, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered an upbeat message on the holiday’s eve, spotlighting a nearly 14% drop in the cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal under President Donald J. Trump’s administration. In a pointed op-ed shared via her official X account, Rollins touted the progress as evidence of the White House’s aggressive push to “Make America Affordable Again,” while laying the blame for lingering price pressures squarely at the feet of the prior Biden era.
The average cost for a Thanksgiving dinner serving 10—featuring staples like turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie—has fallen to $55.18 this year, according to the USDA’s annual survey. That’s a welcome $8.87 savings from the $64.05 peak recorded during Joe Biden’s final Thanksgiving in 2024, when inflation ravaged household budgets amid supply chain snarls and energy spikes. “Since day one, the Trump administration has been on a mission to tame Biden’s inflation crisis, stop the sky-high price increases, and lower costs for everyday families,” Rollins wrote in the piece, published on the USDA website and amplified on X late Thursday. “While this course correction can’t happen overnight, we are working every day across the federal government to Make America Affordable Again.” The post, complete with a festive turkey emoji, has racked up over 1,000 likes, nearly 200 reposts, and 59,000 views, resonating with cash-strapped diners from coast to coast.
Rollins credited the rollback to a multi-pronged strategy: deregulating energy markets to curb fuel costs for farmers and truckers, bolstering trade deals to stabilize commodity prices, and unleashing agricultural innovation to boost yields. Turkey prices, a holiday bellwether, have dipped 7% year-over-year, thanks in part to expanded domestic production and fewer avian flu outbreaks after aggressive USDA interventions. “We’re not just talking numbers—we’re talking real relief for the working families who make this holiday special,” Rollins added, noting that overall food-at-home inflation has cooled to 1.1% annually, the lowest in years.
The announcement lands amid a whirlwind week of White House economic signaling, following President Trump’s Oval Office broadsides on foreign aid and immigration earlier Thursday—comments that tied border security to fiscal prudence. Yet Rollins’ focus remained laser-sharp on the farm-to-table pipeline, urging continued vigilance against “wasteful” spending that she implied bloated the prior administration’s ledger. In her X thread, she linked to a detailed USDA breakdown, highlighting how targeted tariffs on imports and subsidies for American growers have shielded consumers from global volatility.
Public reaction poured in swiftly, blending gratitude with grassroots fixes. Texas rancher Dean Precourt hailed the efforts from the Lone Star State, where foodservice sales have taken a hit: “Thank you! Texas is always insulated economically. Not so today!! Foodservice sales are getting crushed. Stay the course!” Echoing conservative calls for efficiency, developer Damon Becnel advocated slashing SNAP fraud: “End SNAP fraud and corruption… and prices will drop immediately for Americans.” Even as some users, like JBidensearpiece, vented about beef affordability—”No one can afford beef open the processing plants in every state”—the sentiment skewed positive, with simple affirmations like “👍🥰” from retirees and “best president” from crypto enthusiasts.
Critics, however, weren’t buying the full narrative. Democratic-leaning voices on X, such as @lacho_ai, sniped: “They said it! prices are higher than Biden.” Others pointed to persistent headwinds, like bird flu’s toll on poultry flocks or trade tensions with China—prompting one user to quip, “Hey AI, why did China stop buying soybeans from American farmers?” A mother navigating disability benefits for her son decried bureaucratic bloat: “Every single form I have filled out has come in over 40 different languages!!!! RIDICULOUS!!!”
Economists offered a measured take. While acknowledging the USDA’s data as “directionally accurate,” analysts from the Brookings Institution cautioned that broader grocery inflation hovers at 2.5%, and wage growth for low-income households lags. “It’s a step forward, but the finish line is still miles away,” one expert noted. Still, for millions breaking bread on Thanksgiving, the $9 savings per table—translating to over $1 billion nationwide—feels like tangible progress.
As Black Friday looms, Rollins’ message sets an optimistic tone for the administration’s 2026 agenda, which includes farm bill reforms and expanded rural broadband to further drive down costs. In a year bookended by economic turbulence, this holiday snapshot underscores Trump’s pledge: affordability isn’t a promise—it’s a priority. For the latest on USDA initiatives, follow @SecRollins or visit agriculture.gov. Gobble gobble—and pass the savings.
