Trump Shifts Blame: “Biden Left Us with Bad Numbers”

The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter of the year — an unexpected setback for President Donald Trump, who had promised a strong economic rebound during his second term in office. According to a new report from the Department of Commerce, the gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 0.3% — the first negative quarter since early 2022.

The report triggered an immediate reaction from the stock market, which opened in the red. Meanwhile, hiring data disappointed: Only 62,000 private-sector jobs were added in April, far below the expected 120,000.

Pointing fingers — and calling for patience

Shortly after the release, Trump responded on social media. In a Truth Social post, he wrote:

“This is Joe Biden’s Stock Market, not Trump’s. I didn’t take over until January 20th.”

The president argued that the disappointing figures were a result of his predecessor’s legacy — not his own policy moves, particularly not the tariffs, which he insists will eventually drive strong growth.

“When the boom begins, it will be like no other. BE PATIENT!!!”

According to Trump, early signs of progress are already visible, claiming that companies “are starting to move into the USA in record numbers.”

Experts see Trump’s policies as part of the problem

Not everyone agrees with Trump’s take. The Commerce Department report points to a spike in imports as one of the key reasons behind the decline — a result of companies trying to get ahead of the president’s announced tariffs. In addition, a decrease in government spending, driven by thousands of canceled federal contracts under Elon Musk’s new “Department of Government Efficiency,” also contributed to the contraction.

Data from ADP shows that private-sector job growth in April was the weakest since July 2024. Inflation, measured by the personal consumption expenditures price index, rose sharply by 3.6% — contradicting Trump’s recent claim that “prices are coming way down.”

A political double standard on the economy

Critics note that Trump’s attempt to avoid blame mirrors his earlier effort to take credit for market gains during Biden’s presidency. In January 2024, as a presidential candidate, Trump wrote:

“THIS IS THE TRUMP STOCK MARKET BECAUSE MY POLLS AGAINST BIDEN ARE SO GOOD THAT INVESTORS ARE PROJECTING THAT I WILL WIN.”

Andrew Bates, former White House spokesman under Biden, pushed back hard on Trump’s latest statements:

“When Joe Biden handed Donald Trump the best-performing economy in the world, experts praised the U.S. for leaving every other wealthy nation in the dust.”

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.