Staff Reports
The White House has decided to channel its inner magician, pulling a rabbit out of the top hat of blame and directing it squarely at former President Donald Trump for the recently unveiled $1.8 trillion deficit reported by the Treasury Department for fiscal 2024. This hefty sum marks the third largest deficit in U.S. history—and whose administration’s policies did they say led to this fiscal fumble? Surprise! It’s Trump’s fault. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre scrambled to explain that tax cuts for “billionaires and corporations” passed under Trump’s watch are the reason the country is now financially in the soup.
Jean-Pierre, probably hoping to deflect any criticism away from the actual spending habits of the current administration, touted Biden’s record of economic governance. On one hand, she rattled off the administration’s supposed efforts to keep the economy growing and reducing unemployment, while on the other, she painted Republicans as relentless defenders of the rich who are unwilling to lend a hand to middle-class families. It’s the classic “us versus them” playbook that seems to be a favorite in this administration’s playbook. Apparently, the Democrats are the noble knights in shining armor, while Republicans are stuck in the dark, evil castle of tax cuts.
White House defends economic record after Biden blows $1.8 trillion hole in budget https://t.co/9o6edoL4Nm pic.twitter.com/rhFJeaOGga
— Papa MAGA (@b_needleman) October 22, 2024
The self-proclaimed “economic saviors” in the White House absolutely dismissed the idea that the escalating fiscal 2024 deficit—now exacerbated by over a trillion dollars in interest on federal debt and ballooning spending on programs from Social Security to defense—could indicate a weak Democratic grip on the economy. Jean-Pierre had the audacity to suggest that the pandemic was a great chaotic mess, and only with her administration’s guidance did the nation start getting back on track. Talk about a selective memory! It seems that the administration continues to hope voters will forget just how much spending they’ve continued to pile on in the name of recovery.
While Jean-Pierre boasted about the supposed benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act during an upcoming trip to New Hampshire, it begs the question of how exactly they define “lowering costs.” Everything from gas prices to groceries seems to suggest that this intent hasn’t quite manifested in real-world results. Meanwhile, the deficit grows, and families feel the pinch at the supermarket checkout. But not to worry! They’ll hold a press conference and make some eyebrow-raising claims to assure everyone that they’re getting it under control.
Interestingly, despite the flurry of press releases and optimistic projections, polling reveals that a significant portion of the public trusts Trump more with the economy than Vice President Kamala Harris. While Harris might have a slight edge when it comes to middle-class taxes and the housing market, a closer look shows Trump retains favor when it comes to tariffs and economic confidence. With voters still split over who can better tackle the rising costs of groceries and gas, it’s clear that while the White House is trying to blame the economy’s woes on the former president, the American public isn’t buying that particular narrative as readily as they might hope.
