A Feb. 3 Facebook post gained significant attention after Eric Deters, a former U.S. congressional candidate, appeared in a video claiming that Walmart was lowering all food prices back to pre-inflation levels. Deters suggested that this price decrease was somehow linked to Donald Trump’s presidency, crediting him for the price drop. The post’s on-screen text also reiterated this claim, stating, “Walmart decreases food prices back to pre-inflation within a month of Trump’s administration.” The video quickly went viral, being shared more than 700 times in just a week.
However, there is no evidence to support Deters’ assertion that Walmart dropped food prices due to Trump’s electoral victory. The company did not announce any large-scale price cuts in response to Trump’s election or inauguration. A Walmart spokesperson dismissed the claim as false, explaining that no such announcement had been made. The claim appeared to be based on rumors, with no credible news reports or official statements from Walmart supporting the idea of a widespread price reduction.
In reality, while Walmart has occasionally reduced prices through its “rollback” program, these changes were part of regular price adjustments, not a response to political events. In the summer of 2024, Walmart did lower prices on thousands of products, with food items comprising over one-third of the total price reductions. Despite this, the company acknowledged that food inflation remained present, and by the end of July 2024, Walmart CEO Douglas McMillon indicated that prices were still higher than normal. There was no indication that the price reductions had anything to do with Trump’s presidency.
Further debunking the claim, the post failed to consider the broader economic context, particularly regarding tariffs. After Trump’s victory, he proposed tariff increases on imports from Canada and Mexico. Walmart, like many other companies, expressed concerns that such tariffs could raise prices for consumers. In fact, Trump himself admitted that the tariffs might lead to higher grocery prices for Americans and acknowledged the potential for “some pain” as a result. Although deals were later made to delay the tariffs, this context contradicts the idea that Walmart’s food prices were directly tied to Trump’s policies.
Moreover, this is not the first time a false claim about grocery store price reductions post-Trump’s election has circulated. Other fact-checkers, including USA TODAY and Lead Stories, have already debunked similar rumors about grocery chains reducing prices because of Trump. No significant evidence has emerged to suggest any widespread grocery price decreases tied to his administration.
In conclusion, the viral Facebook post claiming that Walmart lowered its food prices due to Trump’s election is based on false information. The company’s price changes were part of normal business practices and had no connection to Trump’s presidency. Fact-checkers have repeatedly refuted this claim, highlighting that it is nothing more than a rumor.
