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MaddowBlog-White House rolls out a weak new pitch on the economy as the Trump Slump continues
Trump can say he is delivering on the economy, or he can say he’ll eventually deliver, but when he pushes both lines simultaneously, there’s a problem.
The White House’s new line is that Trump’s economic agenda will *eventually* work, but:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-09-08T14:09:17.324Z
- this contradicts the WH’s other talking points
- this contradicts Trump’s 2024 campaign promises
- there’s no reason to assume sticking with failures will produce different results www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-house-rolls-weak-new-pitch-economy-trump-slump-continues-rcna229781
The Economist, a leading British publication, also described the U.S. economy as “the envy of the world,” adding that the American economy “has left other rich countries in the dust.”
Now, however, we’re two-thirds of the way into 2025, and the news is far less encouraging. Economic growth has been sluggish, and stubborn inflation rates are inching higher, not lower. U.S. manufacturing, ostensibly a White House priority, is faltering badly.
And then, of course, there’s the job market, which keeps getting uglier, with job growth falling to its lowest levels since the Great Recession. Consider this chart showing job creation through the first eight months of the year since 2010. (The blue columns reflect years in which there were Democratic administrations, while the red columns reflect Trump’s terms. Because of the pandemic, I’m excluding 2020. For those who might be curious, the data from 2010 was just a smidge better than 2025, though it might not be immediately obvious in the image.)......
Even if the American mainstream were in a generous mood and voters were inclined to wait for the economy to eventually strengthen, there are a few obstacles to keep in mind.
Right off the bat, there’s a political contradiction to overcome: Trump brags on a nearly daily basis about having created a “hot” domestic economy, recently boasting, in reference to economic data, “We’re seeing phenomenal numbers. ... I mean, really phenomenal numbers.”
The president can say he is delivering on the economy, or he can say he’ll eventually deliver on the economy, but when he pushes both lines simultaneously, there’s a problem.
Relatedly, Trump promised to deliver an immediate economic boost upon returning to power. It’s a little late to move the goalposts.
Finally, there’s the inconvenient fact that the Republican White House doesn’t have anything resembling an actual plan — beyond waiting for failed policies to eventually, maybe, hopefully produce different results.
Now, however, we’re two-thirds of the way into 2025, and the news is far less encouraging. Economic growth has been sluggish, and stubborn inflation rates are inching higher, not lower. U.S. manufacturing, ostensibly a White House priority, is faltering badly.
And then, of course, there’s the job market, which keeps getting uglier, with job growth falling to its lowest levels since the Great Recession. Consider this chart showing job creation through the first eight months of the year since 2010. (The blue columns reflect years in which there were Democratic administrations, while the red columns reflect Trump’s terms. Because of the pandemic, I’m excluding 2020. For those who might be curious, the data from 2010 was just a smidge better than 2025, though it might not be immediately obvious in the image.)......
Even if the American mainstream were in a generous mood and voters were inclined to wait for the economy to eventually strengthen, there are a few obstacles to keep in mind.
Right off the bat, there’s a political contradiction to overcome: Trump brags on a nearly daily basis about having created a “hot” domestic economy, recently boasting, in reference to economic data, “We’re seeing phenomenal numbers. ... I mean, really phenomenal numbers.”
The president can say he is delivering on the economy, or he can say he’ll eventually deliver on the economy, but when he pushes both lines simultaneously, there’s a problem.
Relatedly, Trump promised to deliver an immediate economic boost upon returning to power. It’s a little late to move the goalposts.
Finally, there’s the inconvenient fact that the Republican White House doesn’t have anything resembling an actual plan — beyond waiting for failed policies to eventually, maybe, hopefully produce different results.