Trump Takes Credit for a Walmart Sale. Again.

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Trump Takes Credit for a Walmart Sale. Again.
Date: July 8, 2026
Host: Catherine Rampel (The Bulwark)

In this episode, Catherine Rampel dissects how President Donald Trump repeatedly takes credit for retail sales—specifically Walmart discounts—turning regular marketing campaigns into political talking points. With her characteristic sharp wit, Rampel unpacks the mutually beneficial performance between Trump and big retailers and critiques how political narratives capitalize on routine business decisions.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s Latest Walmart Claim (00:00–01:33)

• Main Story: Trump posted on social media claiming that Walmart is dropping prices "by a lot" due to his administration, celebrating the U.S.’s 250th birthday. The claim includes a specific mention of ground beef prices falling by almost 15%.

  “Yesterday, President Trump posted… one of the biggest, best and smartest retailers... will be lowering prices by a lot at my administration's request.”
  — Catherine Rampel [00:17]

• Analysis: Rampel quickly points out that Walmart running promotions or seasonal sales is nothing new—it's standard retail practice, especially around holidays.

  “If you've ever shopped at Walmart, you know that they have these rolling sales and promotions all the time. That's sort of the business model for retailers like this.”
  — Catherine Rampel [00:50]

2. This Isn’t the First Time: Thanksgiving Redux (01:33–01:56)

• Historical Pattern: Trump used the same tactic during the previous Thanksgiving, claiming personal credit for a Walmart “best offer yet.”

  “Great company Walmart… Thanksgiving for the United States of America under Donald Trump as president is 25% less… than it was under sleepy Joe Biden's administration.”
  — President Trump (quoted by Rampel) [01:33]

• Fact Check: Rampel notes these deals often come with lesser-value products (e.g., cheaper brands or less food), making the supposed discount misleading.

  “That Thanksgiving bundle was indeed cheaper, but that's because it had worse brands and less actual food in it than the previous year's deal from Walmart. So it wasn't exactly apples to apples or turkeys to turkeys or whatever analogy you want to use.”
  — Catherine Rampel [01:56]

3. Questionable Metrics: The Inflation Takedown (01:56–02:36)

• White House Tactics: The Biden and Trump White Houses both have touted price drops based on dubious benchmarks, like DoorDash’s report of cheaper breakfast foods, as evidence of taming inflation.

  “As if that is evidence of anything regarding broader trends in inflation.”
  — Catherine Rampel [02:23]

  “In the past six months, the price of breakfast items has fallen 14%... eggs has declined 86% since March… because when I took over, it was an egg crisis, as we said.” — President Trump (quoted by Rampel) [02:36]

• Critique: Rampel notes the superficiality of cherry-picked data, mocking the idea that a specific price cut is meaningful compared to overall economic trends.

4. A Pattern of Taking Credit (02:54–03:36)

• Rooster Metaphor: Rampel quips that, like a rooster claiming credit for sunrise, Trump claims credit for anything positive.

  “Just like the rooster likes to take credit for the sun rising, Trump loves to take credit for things that companies were already planning to do.”
  — Catherine Rampel [02:54]

• Corporate Collaborations: The episode gives several examples where Trump’s administration took credit for investments or expansions—by Walmart, Corning, Apple, and others—that were already planned or announced under previous administrations.

  “There was the Corning investment in Michigan, also announced a year before Trump returned to the White House. Or similar investments from J and J, Stargate, Softbank, Apple…”
  — Catherine Rampel [03:19]

5. The Grift and Mutual Benefit (03:36–End)

• Mutual Amplification: Companies get free publicity and presidential praise; Trump gets positive headlines.

  “Every company out there should do this sale grift thing. Just ping the White House every time you have a promo going on.”
  — Catherine Rampel [03:36]

• Satirical Examples: Rampel imagines a world where car dealerships and furniture stores attribute all discounts to the president, lampooning the practice.

  “Here at Westfield Chevrolet, all prices are rock bottom, thanks to our great president. Drive yours off the lot today, or maybe Trump will start tweeting about how customers can save 200 bucks on a new couch at Raymore and Flanagan.”
  — Catherine Rampel [03:50]

• Commentary on Political Culture: She concludes that this is what happens “when instead of a statesman in the White House, you have an influencer in chief, a narcissistic influencer in chief at that.”

  “He can't resist a great deal, especially if that deal might help his poll numbers.”
  — Catherine Rampel [04:25]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 00:17 | “I have just been informed that one of the biggest, best and smartest retailers in America, Walmart, will be lowering prices by a lot at my administration's request.” | Catherine Rampel (quoting Trump) | | 01:33 | “Great company Walmart, they announced today... Thanksgiving meal… is 25% less for Thanksgiving meal with all trimmings than it was under sleepy Joe Biden's administration.” | President Trump (quoted by Rampel) | | 01:56 | “That Thanksgiving bundle was indeed cheaper, but that's because it had worse brands and less actual food in it than the previous year's deal from Walmart.” | Catherine Rampel | | 02:54 | “Just like the rooster likes to take credit for the sun rising, Trump loves to take credit for things that companies were already planning to do.” | Catherine Rampel | | 03:36 | “Every company out there should do this sale grift thing. Just ping the White House every time you have a promo going on.” | Catherine Rampel | | 04:25 | “This is what happens when instead of a statesman in the White House, you have an influencer in chief, a narcissistic influencer in chief at that.” | Catherine Rampel |

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s Walmart Post & Rampel’s Breakdown: 00:00–01:33
• Thanksgiving Sale History & Marketing Tactics: 01:33–01:56
• Comparisons of Administration Claims & Inflation: 01:56–02:54
• The Pattern of Presidential Credit-Taking: 02:54–03:36
• Corporate and Political Mutual Benefits & Satire: 03:36–End

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Summary Tone

Catherine Rampel delivers the episode with a mixture of exasperated humor and sharp analytical critique, lampooning both the political showmanship and corporate willingness to play along. She maintains a direct, irreverent tone, poking fun at the absurdity of attributing normal retail activity to presidential heroics.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you’re tired of seeing politicians take credit for every sale at your local retailer, this episode of The Bulwark, led by Catherine Rampel, is an incisive and witty breakdown of how the lines between political narrative, influencer culture, and marketing have blurred—making for a trenchant, entertaining analysis of today’s media and political ecosystem.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, welcome to Bulwark Takes. I'm Catherine Rampel and I am here with a brilliant new marketing hack courtesy of Donald Trump. Do you want some free advertising for your business? Well, next time you are having a sale, make sure to tell the President that it's all thanks to him. Yesterday, President Trump posted. I have just been informed that one of the biggest, best and smartest retailers in America, Walmart, will be lowering prices by a lot at my administration's request. To celebrate our great country's 250th birthday, Walmart will in particular be dropping the price for a pound of ground beef by almost 15%, among many other products. This is a huge deal for many millions of Americans who smartly shop at Walmart, which is a truly patriotic company who loves the usa, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. If you've ever shopped at Walmart, you know that they have these rolling sales and promotions all the time. That's sort of the business model for retailers like this. In fact, it's not just Walmart. There are lots of companies still running their July 4th sales and may soon have other seasonal discounts pegged to back to school season or similar. But sure, you know, credit our fearless leader. Trump actually fell for, or maybe was in on the same kind of con last Thanksgiving also regarding Walmart, when he took credit for what Walmart marketed as its best offer yet for Thanksgiving.

[B]

Great company Walmart, they announced today with after many years. They do this every year for many years. That Thanksgiving for the United States of America under Donald Trump as president is 25% less for Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings than it was under sleepy Joe Biden's administration.

[A]

That Thanksgiving bundle was indeed cheaper, but that's because it had worse brands and less actual food in it than the previous year's deal from Walmart. So it wasn't exactly apples to apples or turkeys to turkeys or whatever analogy you want to use. But it's not like Trump is going to check any of this. It's all free advertising for everyone involved. Around the same time, the White house blasted out DoorDash's State of Local Commerce report as evidence that inflation has been tamed because apparently some breakfast foods ordered on the doordash app had gotten cheaper in the prior year. As if that is evidence of of anything regarding broader trends in inflation.

[B]

In the past six months, the price of breakfast items has fallen 14%. Bread prices are down, dairy prices are down. The price of eggs has declined 86% since March and much more than that since when I took over, because when I took over, it was an egg crisis, as we said.

[A]

Just like the rooster likes to take credit for the sun rising, Trump loves to take credit for things that companies were already planning to do. Often it's mutually beneficial for everyone to do this. There's the aluminum plant getting built in Alabama that the Trump White House took credit for.

[B]

It's doubling and tripling. And we have steel plants being built all over the country. Nobody thought they'd see that, even though

[A]

construction for that plant began in 2022, when Biden was still president. Or there was the Corning investment in Michigan, also announced a year before Trump returned to the White House. Or similar investments from J and J Stargate, Softbank, Apple. Apple, in fact, announced 400 million, 430 million, something like that investment early in Biden's term. Then when Trump returned to office, had a very similar announcement for what kind of seemed like the exact same investment. And this is a tried and true trick, wanting the president to amplify marketing for the Made in America stuff, Invest in America stuff you already plan to do. And not every company has the means to make these big splashy announcements like this to suck up to a president and get some good marketing. But honestly, every company out there should do this sale grift thing. Just ping the White House every time you have a promo going on. You know, here at Westfield Chevrolet, all prices are rock bottom, thanks to our great president. Drive yours off the lot today, or maybe Trump will start tweeting about how customers can save 200 bucks on a new couch at Raymore and Flanagan. So something along those lines, because, you know, this is what happens when instead of a statesman in the White House, you have an influencer in chief, a narcissistic influencer in chief at that. He can't resist a great deal, especially if that deal might help his poll numbers. If you like takes like this one, make sure to like and subscribe to the Bulwark.