Republican Mocked For Blaming Biden After Buying '$90 Turkey'

A Fox News pundit and former GOP congressman is being mocked for blaming President Joe Biden after purchasing a Thanksgiving turkey that he says cost $90.

Jason Chaffetz, who previously served as the U.S. Representative for Utah's 3rd Congressional District, blamed "Bidenomics" for what he claimed were sky-high turkey prices during a Fox News broadcast on Monday night.

"We went to go buy a turkey today, it was $90 for a turkey!" Chaffetz said. "The price of stamps is up 32 percent in the last four years. But it's all a choice by Joe Biden, that's what Bidenomics is!"

Recent figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicate an average cost of $1.25 per pound, 43 cents less than last year. While the total price varies by weight, the $90 turkey cited by Chaffetz would need to weigh a massive 72 pounds based on the average.

Chaffetz was repeatedly ridiculed over his turkey claim on social media. Many users on X, formerly Twitter, suggested that the Republican pundit was pushing a false narrative by claiming that Biden's policies were responsible for allegedly skyrocketing turkey prices.

"Dude," posted @CapnJack_1270. "If you paid $90, you're the turkey."

"Unless the turkey he bought was 70 pounds, this turkey overpaid for his turkey," conservative commentator and former Fox News contributor Bill Kristol posted while citing the USDA figures.

"Chaffetz purchases enormous 72 pound turkey," posted the Patriot Takes account.

"Must be shopping for crudite with @DrOz," the Ohio AFL-CIO account posted. "Went to our #Union @UFCW Kroger and got one for under $20. Guess the elites pay $90 for a #Thanksgiving turkey."

"No dang Turkey costs $90," posted @pjampaganza. "More lies from Fox News and they LOVE it. What kind of turkey is this Turkey buying, an ostrich? He's probably describing his entire bill but to say this is more rhetorical lies and plain disingenuous."

"Just imagine how stupid you think your viewers are that you get behind a camera and say turkeys are costing $90.00 in order to disparage Biden," @marlene4719 posted.

"How dumb do you have to be to pay $90 for a turkey?" posted @McCainSuzanne. "News outlets are reporting that prices are way down. Surely their viewers know that's inaccurate?!"

"No wonder Chaffetz's turkey cost $90," @Pleightx posted while sharing an image of a large frozen turkey on a table next to what appears to be two glasses of liquor—a mocking reference to a viral photo of what author David Brooks claimed was a "$78" hamburger meal at Newark Airport in September.

When reached for comment, a Fox News spokesperson pointed Newsweek to an X post from Chaffetz on Tuesday, which read "Happy Thanksgiving," alongside an image of a turkey with a price tag of $114.02.

The turkey shown in the photo is a "fresh Meiers turkey" weighing 22.85 pounds and costing $4.99 per pound, far more than the national average.

Some other X users defended Chaffetz by saying that he might have been accurately relaying the cost of a premium turkey, although the figure is still at odds with average prices and would certainly not be representative of birds bought by most Americans.

"Only the biggest organic turkey that they sell at Whole Foods gets you close to $90," posted @wdcscribe. "The regular turkey, same size is $66. Btw this size turkey would feed more than 15 people..."

"Yeah, if you buy a 22-pound fresh turkey from Whole Foods, it's almost $90," @peevedccprof posted. "I don't know too many people doing that."

Although inflation has been high during most of the Biden administration, it has recently been declining overall. The prices of some grocery items have continued to rise, but the increases vary by area.

A survey released by the America Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) earlier this month found that the average price of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 had dropped 4.5 percent from last year when the cost hit a historic high.

In addition to turkey, six out of 10 other items in the AFBF's "classic basket" also cost less in 2023—including cranberries, cubed stuffing and whole milk.

The federation said the item that increased in price most this year was pumpkin pie mix, with a 30-ounce can costing $4.44, 3.8 percent more than last year.