Why 'voters consistently say they trust Trump' with the economy than Harris: expert

15 October 2024

Donald Trump spent much of his interview with Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait Tuesday discussing the US economy.

The Atlantic staff writer David Graham, in a report published after the interview, submitted that "the former editor of The Economist put up a valiant effort, but he was bringing facts to a rhetoric fight," as Trump consistently "sounds like a child" when discussing economic policy.

That, Graham argues, is why "voters consistently say they trust Trump more to handle the economy than they do Kamala Harris."

He writes:

Yes, he has a reputation as a businessman, and voters consistently trust Republicans more on the issue (even though the economy fares better under Democrats). But Trump’s reductionism may be the real source of his appeal when it comes to the economy and other policy areas. ('Build the wall'; 'make NATO pay their fair share.') By restricting his discussion to the bluntest, broadest, and vaguest of terms, he sells an appealing illusion.

"The impulse to bluff comes from Trump’s many decades of business experience," Graham emphasizes. "For Trump the businessman, confidence and bombast have always been more important than facts and reason. This has generally worked out for Trump, who is, after all, a billionaire. But at times, it has been disastrous, as his four corporate bankruptcies demonstrate."

Graham pointed out that during his presidency, Trump "imposed some tariffs on China, but a deal he struck to encourage Chinese imports of American goods flopped. His trade war disproportionately disadvantaged his own supporters. He did not deliver on his promise to bring back manufacturing jobs. His main success was a broad tax cut."

Graham's full report is available at this link (subscription required).

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