Fact Check: trump was riding on obama's economy in 2016

Fact Check: "Trump Was Riding on Obama's Economy in 2016"

What We Know

The claim that "Trump was riding on Obama's economy in 2016" suggests that the economic conditions during Trump's early presidency were significantly influenced by the policies and recovery efforts of the Obama administration. Several key economic indicators support this assertion:

1. Job Growth: During Obama's second term, particularly in 2014 and 2015, the U.S. economy added over 225,000 jobs per month on average. In contrast, during the first 33 months of Trump's administration, the average monthly job growth was approximately 193,000, which is notably lower than the peak years under Obama (Washington Post, JEC).

2. GDP Growth: The average GDP growth during Obama's second term was around 2.3%, while Trump's initial years averaged slightly above 2.5% before the pandemic hit. This indicates that while Trump did see some economic growth, it was not dramatically better than Obama's record (BBC, Los Angeles Times).

3. Unemployment Rates: When Trump took office, the unemployment rate was already on a downward trend, falling from 4.7% in 2016 to a low of 3.5% by late 2019. This decline was largely attributed to the recovery efforts initiated during Obama's presidency (Washington Post, JEC).

Analysis

The evidence indicates that Trump did benefit from the economic recovery initiated by Obama. The job growth and declining unemployment rates during the early years of Trump's presidency can be traced back to the policies and recovery measures implemented by the Obama administration.

However, it is important to note that while Trump did inherit a growing economy, he also implemented significant tax cuts and deregulation that proponents argue contributed to continued economic growth during his term (Harvard Kennedy School, Bloomberg). Critics, however, point out that the economic growth under Trump was not as robust as he claimed, and much of it was a continuation of trends established during Obama's presidency (BBC, Los Angeles Times).

The reliability of sources varies; while major news outlets like the Washington Post and BBC are generally credible, the interpretations of economic data can be influenced by political bias. The JEC report provides a more analytical approach, focusing on data trends rather than political rhetoric.

Conclusion

The claim that "Trump was riding on Obama's economy in 2016" is Partially True. While it is evident that Trump benefited from the economic recovery initiated during Obama's presidency, he also implemented policies that contributed to economic growth. However, the extent of his contribution to the economy compared to the groundwork laid by Obama is a matter of debate.

Sources

1. Did Trump Create or Inherit the Strong Economy?
2. Analysis | The Trump vs. Obama economy — in 16 charts
3. Paul Sheard: The “Trump” vs “Obama” Economy
4. Bringing the Data: Debunking the Trump Economy
5. US 2020 election: The economy under Trump in six charts
6. Trump vs. Obama: Who has the better record on the economy? - Los Angeles Times