President Donald Trump wasted little time celebrating a new GDP report showing the U.S. economy grew far faster than expected in the third quarter.
New data released Tuesday by the Commerce Department showed real gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 4.3 percent between July and September. That marked a jump from 3.8 percent growth in the second quarter and followed a 0.6 percent contraction earlier in the year. It was the strongest pace of expansion since the third quarter of 2023 and comfortably beat analyst expectations of roughly 3.3 percent growth.
Trump treated the report as vindication as criticism mounts over his handling of the economy.
“The TARIFFS are responsible for the GREAT USA Economic Numbers JUST ANNOUNCED…AND THEY WILL ONLY GET BETTER!” he wrote on Truth Social shortly after the data dropped.
In a follow-up post, the president took aim at economists who missed the mark. “60 of 61 Bloomberg Economists got it WRONG, but ‘TRUMP,’ and some other Geniuses, got it right,” he said, adding that “The Trump Economic Golden Age is FULL steam ahead.”
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the third-quarter surge was driven by stronger consumer spending, a lift from exports, and higher government spending, with declines in some areas of investment partially offsetting those gains.
The upbeat report arrives at a sensitive moment for Trump because in recent months, he has faced persistent questions about inflation, employment, and whether voters feel any real relief from high prices. While a strong GDP number does not immediately solve affordability concerns, it does help quiet talk of an impending recession and gives the White House positive data to combat the criticism the president has faced recently.
Wow.
US Q3 GDP:
+4.3% vs 3.3% exp.
Recession from Q1 canceled. Strong growth. pic.twitter.com/bFnK30FM8e
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) December 23, 2025
White House spokesman Kush Desai called the GDP release “blockbuster” and said it showed Trump’s America First trade and economic agenda was driving consumer spending and export growth. He argued the president is rebuilding the kind of economic strength he claimed during his first term and predicted Americans would benefit from a major economic boom in 2026.
Some economists offered a more measured view of the figures. Michael Pearce, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, noted that the headline growth number was boosted by a rise in defense spending and a significant contribution from net trade as imports declined. Still, he said, underlying indicators point to a solid expansion rather than a temporary spike.
Pearce also cautioned that fourth-quarter growth could take a hit from the federal government shutdown, even as he expects consumer spending and a rebound in non-AI business investment to help drive stronger growth next year.
The report could also influence the Federal Reserve’s next move as stronger-than-expected economic growth makes it harder to argue for immediate interest rate cuts, particularly if inflation remains stubborn. Analysts have suggested the data may give the Fed cover to pause as it weighs price pressures against slowing job growth.
What is yet to be seen is if the positive data reflects on the high cost of living across the nation, which has damaged Trump’s poll numbers. If the everyday American is still struggling with rent, groceries, and other expenses, then the President has celebrated too soon.
