Economic Indicators Show Varied Trends Amid Political Commentary

A recent social media post by Bill Mitchell has sparked discussion regarding the current state of the U.S. economy, asserting that claims of skyrocketing grocery prices and a failing economy are unfounded. Mitchell's tweet, dated November 18, 2025, claims that "Grocery prices are holding steady with overall inflation under 3% and GDP over 3%. Wage growth is outpacing both!" He concludes by stating, "But who cares? The Democrats just lie."

Recent economic data provides a mixed picture regarding these assertions. As of September 2025, the U.S. headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicated an annual inflation rate of 3.0 percent, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This figure is at the upper bound of Mitchell's "under 3%" claim. Earlier data from May 2025 showed the annual inflation rate at 2.4 percent, with food inflation specifically at 2.9 percent.

The U.S. economy demonstrated robust growth in the third quarter of 2025. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.5 percent. This figure aligns with Mitchell's assertion of "GDP over 3%."

Regarding wage growth, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the third quarter of 2025 showed a 4.1 percent increase in average hourly earnings year-over-year. This indicates that wage growth has indeed outpaced the overall inflation rate of 3.0 percent reported for September 2025, supporting another of Mitchell's claims.

While some economic indicators, such as GDP growth and wage increases, support parts of Mitchell's statement, the overall inflation rate sits at the edge of his stated threshold. The tweet underscores ongoing political polarization surrounding economic narratives. Bill Mitchell is known as a political commentator and author, often sharing conservative viewpoints on economic and political matters on social media platforms.