Hey folks, buckle up. If you thought you’d heard the last of former President Donald Trump’s nostalgic musings about his time in office think again. Trump recently took to his own social media platform, Truth Social, to boast about how he single-handedly turned America into a utopia. “What a fantastic time for America,” he claimed. Well, maybe in an alternate reality.
The “Greatest Economy EVER”? Hold On a Sec.
Trump boasted about having the “Greatest economy EVER,” but let’s look at the actual stats. FactCheck.org took him to task, pointing out that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. economy was decelerating. We’re talking about a 3.4% decline in the real GDP in 2020, the largest drop since 1947. So, Trump’s promise of annual 4-6% growth never came to fruition; it never even hit 3%.
About that “Strong Military” and “No Russia and Ukraine”
In his post, Trump also claimed a strong military and smooth sailing when it came to Russia and Ukraine. Let’s not forget, that Trump was impeached for the first time for trying to leverage Ukrainian President Zelenskyy into providing dirt on then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Oh, and he’s been indicted in 2023 for allegedly running a criminal conspiracy to topple the federal government. “Strong military,” sure, but at what cost to our international standing?
“Low Taxes and Regulations”? Tell that to the National Debt.
Trump loves to tout his low taxes, but he doesn’t love to talk about the repercussions. The national debt skyrocketed under his watch, jumping nearly $8 trillion. So much for his campaign promise to eliminate the debt, huh? The debt as a percentage of GDP went from 76.2% in fiscal year 2016 to a staggering 100.1% in fiscal year 2020.
“We defeated 100% of the ISIS Kalifat” (Yes, Kalifat)
Trump’s declaration that he vanquished 100% of the ISIS Caliphate (which he amusingly misspelled) is also up for debate. After publicly boasting about the annihilation of the ISIS Caliphate, he privately acknowledged that the actual figure was around “70 percent.” But hey, who needs facts when you can create your own?
“No China and their threats” — Really?
Trump wants to make you believe that under his regime, China wasn’t a concern. Let’s be real: The tensions with China were far from being resolved during his tenure. Trade wars, anyone?
What About the Social Factors?
Let’s not gloss over the rise in hate crimes, the alienation of our allies, and the clear descent into a more divisive, hate-fueled nation. Trump’s America wasn’t just economically unstable; it was socially fractured.
Final Tally
So, when Trump waxes poetic about his “fantastic time” in office, let’s remember to take it with a grain (or maybe a salt mine) of salt. It’s critical to counter this nostalgic narrative with cold, hard facts. Otherwise, we risk letting the myth overshadow the reality, and that’s a disservice to us all.
