Hassett and Trump Tout a “Best-Ever” Economy Ahead of Midterms

He added that the current 3-4 percent growth could rise further if energy prices fall, as President Donald Trump has promised. At a rally in Perry, Georgia, Trump dismissed high gasoline costs, saying he “doesn’t give a damn” about the price surge and suggested the media were fabricating “fake headlines” about people “suffering at the pump.”

The Hill

The remarks come as the Republican Party makes the economy a centerpiece of its final push before the midterm elections. A Financial Times/Focaldata poll released earlier this month showed roughly 25 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of jobs and the economy, while only 20 percent approve of his handling of inflation. Annual inflation, measured by the consumer price index, rose from 3.4 percent in August to 3.7 percent in September. Gasoline averaged $4.29 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association, about $1.23 higher than a year earlier. The price environment is linked to the Iran-related shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, which ships roughly 20 percent of global oil.

The Hill

Hassett framed any criticism of the economy as “misrepresenting the facts,” emphasizing that pockets of weakness will be repaired and that lower energy costs could boost growth beyond the current 3-4 percent rate. Trump reiterated his long-standing claim that gasoline prices will fall once the United States “wins” the conflict with Iran, a narrative he has repeated since the war began.

The Hill

• “So, the great big picture about the economy is that it’s about the best economy we’ve ever seen,” — Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, on Sunday

The Hill

• “I can just see the fake headlines. President Trump is talking about all the money they’re making while people are suffering at the pump,” — President Trump

The Hill