U.S. President Donald Trump said the American economy now belongs to him, declaring he is “very proud of it,” as he seeks to take full ownership of economic performance ahead of the November midterm elections.
Speaking in an interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas that aired Sunday during the Super Bowl, Trump said the transition from the Biden-era economy is complete. Asked when the country entered the “Trump economy,” he replied: “I’d say we’re there now.”
Trump’s comments come despite widespread public dissatisfaction. An NPR/Marist/PBS News poll released last week found that just 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 59% disapprove. Democrats have capitalized on economic anxiety, particularly around affordability, in recent off-year election victories in states including Virginia, New Jersey and New York.
In the Oval Office interview, recorded Wednesday, Trump argued that Democrats have quietly dropped their affordability message because of recent economic performance. He blamed former President Joe Biden for high prices, saying he inherited “a mess in every way.”
“In the last four days, the Democrats have not uttered the word ‘affordability,’” Trump said, without offering evidence.
Trump claimed the economy has grown by 5.6% since he took office, a figure not supported by official government data. According to the Labor Department, the economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.4% in the third quarter of 2025 and has not exceeded 5% growth in any quarter since 2021.
Economic output also contracted in the first quarter of 2025, partly due to uncertainty surrounding trade and tariff policies later announced by the administration. Fourth-quarter data has not yet been released because of a government shutdown.
A White House official said Trump was referencing projections from the Atlanta Federal Reserve, which at times estimated growth as high as 5.4%.
Trump also claimed that $18 trillion is being invested in the United States, citing new factories, plants and businesses. However, the White House’s own website lists $9.6 trillion in announced investments, and independent reviews have said even that figure is likely inflated.
Asked whether those projects would materialize before his term ends in January 2029, Trump said many would open within the next year or two.
In a previous NBC interview in May, Trump had drawn a sharper line, saying the economy’s “good parts” were his, while the “bad parts” belonged to Biden.
