Trump’s “Golden Age” vs. the Real Economy

Trump’s State of the Union painted a picture of a booming economy: soaring jobs, falling prices, and “the roaring economy like never before.” Reality? Not quite.

GDP grew 2.2% in 2025 slower than Biden’s last year (2.8%) and far from the “roaring” growth of the 1980s or late 1990s.

Job creation nearly stalled 181,000 jobs added in 2025 (15,000 per month). For context, this is the worst annual growth outside a recession since 2002. Factories lost 108,000 jobs, and auto/parts plants cut 74,000 over two years.

Inflation is still biting. Core prices may have slowed, but necessities like electricity rose 6.3%, groceries like ground beef jumped 17%, and tariffs have kept furniture, clothes, and tools expensive.

Americans aren’t feeling a golden age they’re feeling high prices, stagnant hiring, and uncertainty. Trump may sell optimism from the podium, but the numbers are stubborn.

Question: Can rhetoric alone convince people they’re living in a “golden age,” or is reality too strong to ignore?