Trumpcession: Economy at -2.8% (Shrinking)
Trump’s Great GDP Illusion: Cooking America’s Economic Books
The day Donald Trump strode confidently towards the Capitol to deliver his State of the Union, headlines were already screaming trouble. “Atlanta Fed Shock Sounds Trumpcession Warning,” shouted one, referencing the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s grim forecast—America’s GDP shrinking at a jaw-dropping annual rate of minus 2.8%. Trumpcession isn’t exactly the slogan you want flashing neon-bright as you stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue, ready to boast about your economic wizardry.
And yet, there it was: a big, red economic warning sign flashing in Trump’s face as he launched into his usual bluster. Things only grew darker the morning after his speech, with private employers reportedly adding a paltry 77,000 jobs—less than half of the previous month’s figures and far below Wall Street’s expectations. Barely six weeks into Trump’s second term, economic indicators aren’t just blinking red—they’re screaming fire alarms, signaling that his chaotic policymaking might be steering us straight into economic ruin.
But indicators like GDP and employment numbers exist precisely because they’re supposed to tell us something real about our economy. They offer transparency, stability, and critical insight. They help businesses make plans, guide policymakers’ decisions, and give everyday Americans a snapshot of where things stand.
Enter Trump’s newly crowned Commerce Secretary, Howard Letnik, who has floated an astonishing idea: what if we just… stop counting government spending as part of GDP? Imagine, a top federal official publicly musing about manipulating fundamental economic metrics just because the numbers make his boss look bad. Elon Musk, Trump’s deep-pocketed campaign donor and apparent economic policy co-conspirator, quickly jumped aboard this fantasy express, posting enthusiastically about changing how we calculate GDP. “Better” for whom, exactly?
This isn’t just some harmless reshuffling of figures. It’s akin to your doctor deciding to fix your high blood pressure by smashing the blood pressure monitor. If GDP numbers look bad—erase them. If job growth numbers disappoint—change how they’re calculated. Trump’s Commerce Secretary didn’t just stop at wild ideas; he’s dismantling the guardrails themselves. This week, Howard Letnik quietly disbanded two advisory committees responsible for ensuring the integrity and transparency of economic statistics. These committees cost practically nothing and have functioned quietly, faithfully, for decades. So why axe them? Because transparency and accountability are dangerous to a presidency built on smoke and mirrors.
Removing these committees doesn’t just diminish trust; it destroys it. Experts who worked tirelessly—often voluntarily—to maintain honesty in reporting have been kicked to the curb. And with them goes the credibility of numbers we depend on. Investors, workers, towns planning their futures—everyone relies on this data. Without accurate statistics, we’re navigating blindfolded through economic minefields, with Trump gleefully rearranging obstacles based on whims, vendettas, and political favors.
As Jared Bernstein, the former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Joe Biden, starkly warned: this is playing with fire. If the Trump administration succeeds in cooking the books, investors lose trust, businesses lose clarity, and Americans lose their economic future. This isn’t mere politics; it’s an assault on reality itself, a calculated erosion of public understanding.
The move reeks of authoritarianism—control the numbers, control the narrative. History is littered with regimes that first silenced experts and then manipulated data to hide their incompetence. Trump’s actions fit disturbingly well into this pattern, one that threatens not only our economic health but our democracy itself.
So, America, ask yourself this: do you really want an economy based on “Trump numbers,” or would you rather face hard truths with clear eyes? The president isn’t just obscuring reality; he’s demolishing the tools we use to understand our world. If we don’t fight to protect transparency now, we risk living in a country where truth itself becomes whatever suits the president’s fantasy.
Time to speak up, share this widely, and demand honesty before Trump finishes rewriting America’s economic reality.
