President Donald Trump says Americans are living through the “greatest economy we’ve ever had.”
He repeated this on Fox News when Laura Ingraham asked him why voters still feel uneasy. He responded, “I don’t know that they are saying that, I think polls are fake.” He insisted the economy is “as strong as it’s ever been.” While he often makes this claim, skepticism is rising, even among people in his own administration.
In a 60 Minutes interview last week, Trump stood firm, saying, “We had the greatest economy in the history of our country, but my second term is blowing it away.” He linked this claim to jobs and markets, painting a picture of wide prosperity that many Americans do not see. Polls show ongoing concern about inflation, high rents, and stagnant wage growth. This is why Ingraham’s question about why people are anxious about the economy struck a chord. Trump’s dismissal of polls as “fake” offered little reassurance to those worried about the gap between his words and their financial reality.
INGRAHAM: Why are people saying they’re anxious about the economy?
TRUMP: I don’t know they are saying that. The polls are fake. We have the greatest economy we’ve ever had.
LOL. Good luck governing with a delusional POTUS, Republicans.
— Maine (@TheMaineWonk) November 11, 2025
Even his own economic team is sounding different notes as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said, “There are sectors of the economy that are in recession,” highlighting housing and manufacturing as the hardest hit by high interest rates and falling consumer demand. His comments clearly recognized that problems are appearing beneath the president’s optimistic narrative.
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, shared this caution during an appearance on Fox Business. He noted that the job market is “a little bit softer right now” than the administration would want. He added that, while the overall outlook remains stable, some industries are “starting to show pockets of weakness.” The difference between these measured statements and Trump’s grand claims is striking.
The president insists everything is fine, he dismissed concerns as political games from Democrats and even predicted that gas prices would fall to two dollars “very soon.” In that same breath, he called the rise of 50-year mortgages “not even a big deal” and criticized the Federal Reserve for being too cautious with rate cuts. This is classic Trump: confident, defiant, and dismissive of information that complicates his message.
Critics are not the only ones questioning these claims, some advisors within Republican circles have privately wondered if the White House can keep promoting an “all-time greatest economy” when voters experience higher grocery bills, shrinking paychecks, and signs of slowdown in various sectors. One former aide described the situation as “a messaging problem rooted in denial.”
Despite this, Trump seems unfazed and he continues to view any criticism as partisan spin, insisting that the economy is thriving under his watch. However, the gap between his optimism and the caution shown by his officials is growing each day.
When the Treasury Secretary admits parts of the economy are in recession, and the president’s top economic advisor describes the job market as “softer,” the claim of unwavering prosperity begins to feel empty. Trump may call polls fake, but voters can see their bills, feel the squeeze in their paychecks, and recognize the difference between spin and reality.
