Donald Trump told a town hall that he did not make any mistakes during his first 100 days as U.S. president.
Trump called into a live town hall hosted by NewsNation in New York on Wednesday, April 30.
An audience member called Lee asked what Trump thought his biggest mistake had been during his first 100 days.
“I’ll tell you, that’s the toughest question I can have because I don’t really believe I’ve made mistakes,” Trump said in response.
Highlights
- Trump claimed he made no mistakes during his first 100 days, sparking laughter at a live town hall event.
- The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January to March, the first drop in three years, causing an early stock market decline.
- Trump blamed former President Biden for the slow economic start and insisted tariffs will soon boost the U.S. economy.
A town hall hosted by NewsNation burst into laughter when Trump said he hadn’t made any mistakes
Image credits: NewsNation
“I think you’re going to see tremendous economic victories over the next period of a year, far greater than ever imagined,” he continued.
The audience, which included supporters from different political parties, burst into laughter at his response.
Trump’s statements came as it was revealed the U.S. economy shrank at a 0.3% annual pace from January through March.
It was the first drop in three years, and the news resulted in stocks dropping early on Wednesday.
Image credits: NewsNation
Image credits: The White House
At the end of last year, there was a 2.4% increase in the country’s GDP, but the start of this year saw slower growth as U.S. companies scrambled to buy foreign goods before massive tariffs came into place, AP reports.
Trump quickly responded on Truth Social, blaming former President Joe Biden and saying the news had nothing to do with his tariffs.
“This is Biden’s Stock Market, not Trump’s,” he wrote. “I didn’t take over until January 20th.”
Trump said his tariffs will start to make the U.S. money soon
Image credits: Daily Kos
“Tariffs will soon start kicking in, and companies are starting to move into the USA in record numbers.
“Our Country will boom, but we have to get rid of the Biden ‘Overhang.’
“This will take a while, has NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS, only that he left us with bad numbers, but when the boom begins, it will be like no other. BE PATIENT!!!”
A variety of polls released ahead of Trump’s first 100 days in office on Tuesday showed a plummeting approval rate—with one giving him the lowest ratings for a new presidential term since polls began during World War II.
A Fox News survey found that just 38% of voters approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, 33% approved of his handling of inflation, and 33% approved of his approach to tariffs.
It was a result echoed in several other polls, with data from The New York Times showing 50% of voters saying Trump had made the economy “worse” since taking office, compared to only 21% who felt he had made it better.
In terms of overall approval ratings, a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 39% of people approved of his overall job performance, while 55% disapproved.
It is the lowest approval rating for any president within the first 100 days since polling began in 1940.
Image credits: Fox News
In response to the polls, Trump described them as fake as he criticized media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
“Rupert Murdoch has told me for years that he is going to get rid of his FoxNews, Trump Hating, Fake Pollster, but he has never done so,” he said on Truth Social.
“This ‘pollster’ has gotten me, and MAGA, wrong for years. Also, and while he’s at it, he should start making changes at the China Loving Wall Street Journal. It sucks!!!”
Trump is currently in the midst of a trade war with China
Image credits: The White House
Trump’s tariff policy has ignited a trade war with China, with the country currently subjected to a 145% tariff.
In response, China has hit the U.S. with a 125% tariff.
“We’re going to make billions and billions of dollars,” Trump told the town hall on Wednesday.
“But it takes a little while. That doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen much faster than people understand.”