MSNBC took apart Trump’s claim that he created an economic miracle and found that his economic growth is the same as Obama’s over a similar time period.
Trump said at the State Of The Union, “On Friday, it was announced that we added another 304,000 jobs last month alone — almost double what was expected. An economic miracle is taking place in the United States — and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations.
If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way!”
Video of Trump:
Trump uses #SOTU to claim that investigations of his crimes hurt the economy. pic.twitter.com/3EF8Wnir3U
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— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 6, 2019
While the focus has gone to Trump’s attack on oversight and investigations, there is another problem.
Trump’s claim that he created an economic miracle is not true
New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker said on MSNBC, “Yeah, look, obviously, the economy is doing well, and he’s president while it’s doing well. Presidents are always going to claim credit when the economy is doing well on their watch and when it goes south, they’ll find other things to blame. But you’re right, he inherited an economy that was already growing, had been growing quite a while when he came into office. The growth rate of new jobs and economic activity during the first months during the first 20, 21 months were exactly the same as the rate during the last 20, 21 months of President Obama’s presidency. The fact that this recovery has continued as long as it has is something that he can at least go out there and campaign on. He kept a recovery that might have otherwise fizzled outgoing at this point. Whether it will fizzle out before he gets to the election of next year, that’s the open question.”
Video:
The "economic miracle" that Trump talked about at the #SOTU is actually Obama's. https://t.co/BhaqLXzGt3 pic.twitter.com/IkKGQl0hNL
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 6, 2019
Obama created the economic miracle that Trump is taking credit for
Obama inherited the Great Recession and turned it around with record economic growth. Trump inherited a booming economy and had kept it going. Trump was born on third base and thinks that he hit a triple. With only an unpopular tax cut for the rich to show in year three of his presidency, Trump has consistently tried to take credit for Obama’s accomplishments and make them his own.
A lazy and failing president is trying to steal Obama’s record for work that he has never done.
Trump is a pretender, and MSNBC shattered his miracle fantasy with a dose of fact and reality.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
