U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a breakfast with Republican Senators at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. November 5, 2025. REUTERS Kevin Lamarque
Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson warned that President Donald Trump won't be able to deny the state of the economy to American voters, no matter how hard he tries.
“The one thing that doesn't lie is the economy,” Carlson told CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. “I mean, it's one of these things that Trump just can't lie his way out of or talk his way out of. And that is extremely problematic because when people go to the polls for the midterm elections, that are going to be here before we know it, they're going to be voting on how they feel on that particular day. And the economy is an incredibly emotional feeling.”
Issues like immigration — which is typically Trump’s favorite talking point on the campaign stump — are not landing as hard with voters when they enter polls.
“This is not necessarily about immigration, where you don't live on a border state, so you're not totally feeling it. But most Americans are feeling the economy,” Carlson said. “And that's what's problematic for him. Instead, he went on these rants last night against his political enemies, again. And if you're come from a Brown or Black country, you're not going to be welcome in this country. It's like, wait a minute, he could have nuanced this. He could have said, ‘I inherited a horrible inflationary economy’ and this is what I'm doing to try to fix it. And he's not doing that. And until he does that, it's going to be a problem.”
Cooper also spoke to Republican strategist and former RNC Communications Director Doug Heye, who said he was shocked that Trump was floundering so hard over the economy.
“I'm surprised at Trump, because he did message on this so effectively during the last presidential election,” Heye said. “And right now I'm watching him struggle. And it reminds me of the previous administration. Learn some lessons from your own recent past.”
There are ways for a president to talk about issues of affordability, said Heye, “but this sure is not it.”
Watch the segment below: