Trump shares misleading inflation chart as approval on economy plunges

Donald Trump attempted to counter criticism of his handling of inflation by posting a video on Truth Social that pits his second term’s cumulative CPI-U inflation against that of the eight preceding presidents, freezing his figure at 4.71% after the first 18 months. The visual shows his administration ending at the bottom of the ranking, while Joe Biden’s term dominates the upper end. Lara Trump shared the same chart on Instagram, calling it “great” and noting in a caption that the data stops at month 18 because “we have not yet developed time travel.”

No explanation was offered for the static 30-month segment. Poll data cited by Harry Enten indicates Trump’s net approval on the economy has dropped from +9 points in his first term to minus 33 points now, with a specific inflation rating of minus 50 points—the worst ever recorded for a president. Analysts link the poor numbers to policies such as extensive tariffs and the conflict in Iran, which have heightened financial strain for many Americans.