Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pushed back against President Donald Trump’s optimistic assessment of the U.S. economy, arguing that millions of Americans continue to struggle with rising living costs, inadequate health coverage and housing insecurity.
Trump Defends Economy
On Tuesday, in a post on X, Sanders criticized Trump’s comments after sharing a Fox News clip in which the president praised the nation’s economic performance.
Trump said, “We have an amazing economy.”
He added, “We had the best economy of any president ever in my first term. I believe this is going to blow it away.”
Sanders Cites Cost-of-Living Struggles
Sanders disputed that characterization, pointing to the financial realities facing many Americans.
He said, “Trump says we have an amazing economy. Really?”
“60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck. 85 million are uninsured or underinsured. More than 750,000 are homeless. The price of groceries is through the roof,” he added.
Sanders further said, “If this is ‘amazing,’ God help us.”
Trump Economy Faces Inflation and Recession Warnings
Earlier, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused Trump and congressional Republicans of prioritizing military spending over working families.
Sanders faulted Trump’s handling of inflation after the president said he “love[d] the inflation,” arguing many Americans were still struggling with the cost of living.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also criticized Trump over a $1.8 billion fund he said benefited the president’s allies, linking it to rising gas prices, healthcare cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy.
Meanwhile, Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi warned that the U.S. economy was struggling, citing elevated inflation, slowing growth and mounting pressure on household finances that could increase recession risks.
Trump Dismisses Economic Concerns
In May, Trump said Americans’ financial struggles were “not even a little bit” influencing his administration’s negotiations with Iran.
He said preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons was his sole priority, stating, “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump added, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation, I don’t think about anybody.”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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