Former US President Barack Obama on Friday targeted Republican nominee Donald Trump‘s economic policies during his speech in Arizona‘s Tucson. Obama challenged Trump’s claims about the strength of the economy during Trump’s first two years in office.
“I hear some people say, I remember the economy during those first two years of Trump was pretty good. And I say, yeah, it was good because that was my economy that I handed to him,” Obama said.
He explained that the economic growth Trump enjoyed early in his presidency was a direct result of the groundwork done by the Obama administration. “I spent eight years cleaning up the mess the Republicans left me,” he said, referring to the economic downturn that began before he took office.
Obama talked about the 75 consecutive months of job growth under his leadership, arguing that Trump merely inherited a stable economy and later proceeded to destroy it with ill-advised policies.
“I handed over an economy that was growing steadily,” he said. “ He gave a tax cut to people who didn’t need one and drove up the deficit,” he added.
Obama was also critical of Trump’s reliance on tariffs as a cornerstone of his economic strategy. He warned that the former president’s tariff policies if reimplemented those tariffs would be basically a “Trump sales tax” that would hurt the average American family Obama explained.
“Trump’s plan could cost American families an average of $4,000 a year. If you think prices are high now, Donald Trump’s message is: you ain’t seen nothing yet,” he said.
His remarks sent internet users into a frenzy, with people digging up the old articles claiming that Obama is taking credit for Trump’s success.
One X user wrote, “Of course, Obama takes credit for Trump’s success. Obama is a plagiarist just like Biden and Kamala.”
Another said, “Obama is lying. Obama told Trump it would take a “magic wand” for Trump to create jobs. Trump did it. Obama just outed himself again as a sleazy, manipulative, politician.”
However others were seen defending the former Democratic President, one user said, “So true! Obama handed Trump a good economy which he rode on until Trump bungled the pandemic!” Others said, “Obama just slayed Trump. Can’t wait for the comeback.”
