by Ethan Faverino | Nov 29, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
As families across the nation prepared for Thanksgiving travel, gas prices provided relief at the pump, holding steady around $3 per gallon and marking the lowest levels in years.
According to data from fuel savings tracker GasBuddy and the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen significantly in 2025, with some stations even offering prices under $2 per gallon for the first time since 2021.
This year’s average price stands at $3.12 per gallon so far, down from $3.31 in 2024 and $3.52 in 2023. The decline follows a peak above $5 per gallon in June 2022, reflecting a steady downward trend that has eased the financial burdens on drivers around the country.
One year ago, the average was $3.06, matching the price of October 2025, with only minor fluctuations of a few cents this pre-Thanksgiving week.
The Trump administration has highlighted these reductions as a direct result of its energy policies since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In October, the White House issued a statement celebrating GasBuddy’s report that national averages had slipped below $3 per gallon – the lowest in four years.
Head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, Patrick De Haan, said, “It’s pretty compelling to see gas prices this low, falling ahead of Thanksgiving, and it signals what more Americans could experience in the coming months. Lower seasonal demand, falling oil prices, and rising OPEC output are all pushing prices down. While a few stations have recently dipped below $2 through temporary offers and promotions, this marks the first time we’ve seen a regular sub-$2 price.”
The lowest gas price in the country is now $1.99, available at four stations in Midwest City, Oklahoma, part of the Oklahoma City metro area. Reported on Monday, November 24, these are the first prices below $2 nationwide without discounts or promotions, marking the lowest U.S. prices since 2021.
In Arizona, gas prices have remained remarkably stable in recent weeks, with the current average for regular unleaded at $3.336 per gallon – just 4 cents below what it was a week ago ($3.380). Compared to October ($3.339), regular prices have essentially held flat, while showing a modest year-over-year increase of 12.2 cents from $3.214.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Andy Biggs has called out Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for “blatant hypocrisy” after she publicly pitched the benefits of the federal Working Families Tax Cut, a policy she previously denounced as a “betrayal.”
In a statement released Thursday, Biggs said Hobbs is “shamelessly” attempting to attach herself to a Republican-driven tax package that she vocally opposed earlier this year.
“After calling the Working Families Tax Cut a ‘betrayal,’ Katie Hobbs now shamelessly wants to take credit for the tax cuts passed by President Trump and Congressional Republicans,” Biggs said. The congressman provided links to her July comments to Fox10 in which the Governor stated:
“This bill is a betrayal of working families, children, and seniors in Arizona who will lose their healthcare, their ability to put food on the table, and good-paying jobs, all to give tax cuts to the people who are already billionaires while ballooning our national debt by $3.4 trillion.”
Biggs argued that despite Hobbs’ prior opposition, Republicans “successfully delivered tax relief to working-class Arizonans and seniors who are being hurt by the rising energy costs of Hobbs’ progressive, green energy agenda.”
On X, Biggs highlighted Hobbs’ recent promotion of her own “Middle Class Tax Cuts Package,” which includes bigger deductions, tax relief for seniors, and exemptions on taxes for tips, overtime, and new car loan interest.
Hobbs, who recently launched her 2026 reelection bid, has highlighted the tax cut in campaign messaging and controversially billed her events as “Arizona First” rallies, as noted by Capitol Media. Biggs asserted that the move reflects political weakness within her own party.
“Even her fellow Democrats are calling her ‘weak’ because they know the truth just like Arizonans do: Katie Hobbs has failed our state, and now she’s trying to cover it up by taking credit for Republican victories,” he said citing an op-ed from AZ Mirror.
The Working Families Tax Cut, a component of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” championed by President Donald Trump, Biggs, and other House Republicans, expanded credits for lower- and middle-income households and included relief provisions for seniors. Hobbs criticized the measure during negotiations, calling it fiscally irresponsible and siding with Democrats who argued it favored Republican priorities.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its 40th annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, revealing welcoming news for American families. The average cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has fallen to $55.18, or $5.52 per person—a decrease of more than 5% from 2024 and the third straight year of declines.
While the drop provides some relief at the checkout, AFBF cautions that prices remain well above pre-2022 levels, following a record-high average of $64.05.
AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D., said, “It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal. Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
2025 Classic Thanksgiving Menu Price Changes (for 10 people)
- 16-lb turkey: $21.50 (−16.3%)
- Stuffing (14 oz): $3.71 (−9%)
- Dinner rolls (1 dozen): $3.56 (−14.6%)
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs): $4.00 (+37%)
- Veggie tray (1 lb carrots & celery): $1.36 (+61.3%)
- Fresh cranberries (12 oz): $2.28 (−2.8%)
- Pumpkin pie mix (30 oz): $4.16 (+0.1%)
- Whipping cream (½ pint): $1.87 (+3.2%)
- Frozen peas (1 lb): $2.03 (+17.2%)
- Pie crusts (2): $3.37 (−0.8%)
- Milk (1 gal): $3.73 (+16.3%)
- Misc. ingredients: $3.61 (−4.7%)
Thanksgiving dinner costs vary significantly across different regions. Families in the South enjoy the nation’s lowest average price for a classic meal for 10 at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75.
When adding ham, russet potatoes, and green beans to create an expanded menu, the South remains the most affordable at $71.20, while the West is the priciest at $84.97.
“We are blessed to live in a country capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines this Thanksgiving, food prices remain a real concern for many families — including farm families. We lost 15,000 farms last year due to low crop prices, high input costs, and trade uncertainty. Every farm lost moves us closer to greater consolidation and reliance on foreign food sources. We urge Congress to address these challenges so America’s farm families can continue growing the safe, affordable food we all depend on every day of the year.”
The White House also celebrated the lower cost of Thanksgiving this year, noting President Trump’s promise to lower prices and cut inflation. Retailers are stepping up with their cheapest Thanksgiving meals in years:
- Walmart’s feast for 10 is down 25% from last year, with its lowest turkey price since 2019 at under $4 per person.
- Lidl’s Thanksgiving meal is $10 less, clocking in at $3.60 per person for 10.
- Aldi’s Thanksgiving meal is $7 cheaper and at 2019 lows, $4 per person for 10.
- Target’s meal for four is at its lowest price ever, at $5 per person.
- Schnucks, one of the nation’s largest privately held supermarket chains, is selling turkeys at prices not seen in over 15 years.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 22, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Greg Roeberg, a Scottsdale attorney, announced his intention to join the race for Arizona Attorney General on Thursday with an appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room. Roeberg, who describes himself on his campaign website as “serving as President Trump’s campaign attorney and defending the integrity of our elections,” has defined himself as an America First candidate on a mission to provide President Trump with needed “backup.”
Roeberg’s Statement of Interest in the 2026 Primary Election was filed shortly before 1 PM on Thursday, according to the Arizona State Election system at Arizona.vote.
“President Trump needs backup, and Arizona needs an Attorney General who will enforce the law with zero apologies,” Roeberg said in his video announcement posted to X. “Safe streets, strong borders, and secure elections — those are the foundations that will give my kids’ generation a chance to build new industries, new opportunities, and a better Arizona. With your help, we will Make Arizona Great Again.”
In a campaign statement, Roeberg wrote that he “vows to bring an America-First agenda directly into the halls of justice by:
- Restoring law and order with aggressive prosecution of violent criminals and drug traffickers.
- Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement as radical politicians try to tie their hands.
- Securing Arizona’s elections with uncompromising oversight, tougher penalties for fraud, and ironclad protections to ensure every legal vote counts — and only legal votes count.
- Putting Arizona families first by fighting for parental rights, shielding our kids from harm, and making Arizona the most secure, pro-business state in the country.
In a statement published to X, Roeberg wrote,
“For years, I’ve worked alongside President Trump and the America First movement, pouring my energy into strengthening our elections and safeguarding the integrity of our democratic system. I’ve always believed that if our elections aren’t secure, nothing else matters.
Right now, we are at a crossroads. And Arizona doesn’t need any more empty suits. It needs action. That’s why I’ve decided to run for Attorney General of our great state.”
Speaking with Bannon on War Room, Roeberg reflected on serving as “President Trump’s 2024 election attorney,” adding that he was “with Trump like [Bannon] before it was popular, back in 2016.”
Turning to incumbent Democrat Attorney General, he told the host, “Arizona’s current Attorney General, Kris Mayes, is an absolute disaster. She needs to be replaced. I’m the one to do it because I’m a fighter.”
He added, “People on both sides of the aisle are sick and tired of hearing about Arizona’s elections dragging on months on end, weeks, and weeks on end, and questionable results, and people on both sides of the issue want that finally resolved. Strong borders and safe streets. It’s pretty easy. We have to stand with President Trump, and the administration, and the work they’re doing. Kris Mayes has currently… thirty-one lawsuits against the administration, shutting down the progress that President Trump and the administration are trying to do.”
“She does so at the expense of the Arizona people. She has a limited number of resources, and she could be spending those resources going after the drugs, going after the border, going after the homeless, the fentanyl, you name it. But instead, she just wants to score points with Act Blue and Soros and folks like that back East. And that’s got to stop,” he continued.
Roeberg concluded his remarks on Mayes saying, “I’m sick and tired again of seeing our squishy go-along, get-along Republicans do nothing about it. I’m not a politician. This is my first race, and I’m getting in and we’re in it to win.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Nov 16, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego has refused to delete an unverified theory about the relationship between child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump.
Gallego claimed Trump and Epstein spent Thanksgiving together in 2017, citing an email exchange from Epstein. The Democratic Party deleted their post propagating this claim, which Gallego quoted in a post on X.
“The ‘Trump was secretly helping the cops take down Epstein’ theory kinda falls apart when you know he may have spent Thanksgiving with him. As President. After Epstein was already convicted,” said Gallego.
Over a decade before 2017 Thanksgiving, however, Trump had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Multiple sources have reported this timeline in years past to reporters and in a book published in 2020.
In 2008, Epstein was convicted of two state felony charges in Florida: soliciting prostitution, and soliciting prostitution with a minor. Epstein entered a plea deal of a 13-month jail sentence with work release and requirement to register as a sex offender.
Trump has repeatedly claimed to have had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes until the federal charges emerged in 2019. The president also claimed at the time that he hadn’t spoken to Epstein in about 15 years.
It wasn’t until late 2018, a year after the Thanksgiving in question occurred, that investigative reporting from the Miami Herald publicized details of the 2008 plea deal. That following summer, federal prosecutors hit Epstein with the child sex trafficking charges that would ultimately conclude with his apparent suicide in prison a month later.
Unlike Gallego, the Democratic Party deleted their post on X in which they claimed Trump spent Thanksgiving with Epstein in 2017. Included in the post was a picture of an email exchange between Epstein and the founder of a major modeling agency, Faith Kates.
“Documents show Donald Trump spent Thanksgiving with Jeffrey Epstein in 2017,” said the Democrats in their deleted X post. “At the time, Trump was already president, and Epstein was already a convicted sex offender.”
Trump spent Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach with family in 2017. A book published in 2020, “The Grifter’s Club: Trump, Mar-a-Lago, and the Selling of the Presidency,” included accounts from several Mar-a-Lago club members that Trump banned Epstein from the club years before the holiday, sometime before the 2008 pleading.
The Thanksgiving 2017 email was part of the 20,000-document dump from House Republicans on Wednesday, just hours before the House passed an agreement to end the government shutdown with six Democratic votes.
In another email from January 2019, approximately six months before federal prosecutors closed in and about two months after the investigative report dropped, Epstein claimed in an email to Michael Wolff, an author-journalist and longtime confidant of his, that Trump had knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking.
“Trump said he asked me to resign, never a member [at Mar-a-Lago] ever,” said Epstein. “Of course [Trump] knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”
Ghislaine Maxwell was the British socialite convicted of child sex trafficking for Epstein in 2021.
Maxwell trafficked one of her victims, Virginia Giuffre, from her job as a teenage Mar-a-Lago spa attendant. Giuffre was 16 when she was trafficked.
Throughout her book “Nobody’s Girl,” public statements, and sworn testimonies, Giuffre has offered consistent, repeated defenses of Trump’s innocence and non-involvement with Epstein’s trafficking.
Giuffre’s statements also challenge the reliability of Epstein’s perspective and claims about Trump in his emails. In another email released within the 20,000 documents this week, Epstein claimed Trump and Giuffre “spent hours” together at his home. However, Giuffre said in her book that she only met Trump several times briefly in public places, such as Mar-a-Lago before she was trafficked and at a Halloween party.
Giuffre is unable to offer further clarity on these developments in the Epstein files, as she committed suicide in April. Her book was published posthumously in October.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
