The AP Blasts Trump for Pulling Numbers Out of Thin Air on the Economy, Jobs and the Deficit

Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:08 pm

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The AP blasted President Trump for “pulling numbers out of thin air when it comes to the economy, jobs and the deficit” in a fact check.

Trump’s claims that his job creation is so big as to be “unthinkable”:

It’s true that in the 20 months since Trump’s election, the economy has generated 3.9 million jobs. In the 20 months before his election, however, employers added 4.3 million jobs.

Trump’s claims that the economy is doing record and close-to-record GDP:

THE FACTS: No. These are the latest in a string of exaggerated claims that Trump has made about the U.S. economy.

Trump’s claims that the economy has never been better:

THE FACTS: He’s exaggerating. The economy is healthy now, but it has been in better shape at many times in the past.

Trump’s bizarre claim that his economy harming tariffs will magically reduce the deficit and he has lowered taxes for the American people at large:

THE FACTS: This isn’t going to happen.

Furthermore, tariffs are just another form of tax on the people, so #ThanksTrump:

“The president seems to believe that foreigners pay tariffs, but they are import taxes paid for by American businesses and consumers. They may make it harder for other countries to sell things in the United States, but they are just another form of tax and do not result in lower taxes for the American people overall.”

The AP had similar problems with Senator Sanders’ claims, writing that Trump’s claims “capped a week of grandiose and erroneous claims by Trump and his critics, including questionable rhetoric from Sen. Bernie Sanders that his ‘Medicare for all’ plan would reduce U.S. health spending by $2 trillion.”

Sarah Jones

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