What did Donald Trump claim about the economy on 17 Dec 2025?
Donald Trump, President of the United States ·
When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years—and some would say in the history of our country—which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans.
Inflation was 3.0% when he took office in January 2025. Even the 2022 peak of 9.1% was only the highest since November 1981, about 41 years earlier.
In January 2025, the month he took office, consumer prices were up 3.0 percent over 12 months (Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI release of Feb. 12, 2025). Even the 2022 peak of 9.1 percent was, in the BLS's words, the largest 12-month increase since November 1981, about 41 years earlier (BLS, CPI release of July 13, 2022).
Claim vs. the record · Economy
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The claim
- Date
- Where
- Prime-time Address to the Nation on the Economy from the White House.
The record
Primary source (agency data)