Trump's portrayal of 'golden age' is out of sync with how Americans see economy
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address highlighted a booming economy with falling prices and soaring jobs, but public confidence remains low, with consumer sentiment near recessionary levels and only 39% approving of his economic leadership.
- The U.S. economy grew by 2.2% last year, a slowdown from previous years, and inflation, although reduced, remains elevated with core prices rising 3% annually, above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
- Hiring dramatically slowed in 2025, with only 181,000 jobs added, marking the worst job growth outside a recession since 2002, and manufacturing jobs continued to decline despite Trump’s promises to revive the sector.
- Trump’s tariffs have contributed
