Trump says he's done a “very bad job” of explaining “how good the country is doing,” claims US economy is doing “better than any country”
President Donald Trump speaks during a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration event in the East Room of the White House on September 30, 2026 in Washington, DC – Source: Getty
President Trump praised the American economy’s performance under his administration and said he had fallen short of adequately conveying “how good” the US is doing.
Trump hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the White House on Wednesday. According to a video of Trump’s speech posted on the White House’s YouTube channel, the president praised the current state of the American economy, calling it the “greatest” in history. He mentioned that $21 trillion is being invested in the country. Trump then spoke about the construction of the White House ballroom and said he doesn’t “get credit for anything.” The president then remarked:
“I’ve done a very bad job of explaining how good the country is doing. We’re doing better than any country in the world economically. You’re going to see Europe. Europe’s a mess. Other countries are not doing as well.”
The POTUS claimed that during a recent meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping also complimented his work.
“Even President Xi, first thing he said to me, ‘Wow, you’ve done a good job.’ He said that in Chinese, by the way. That’s, I think that’s about the best description I can say,” Trump added.
During the speech, the president asserted that he does not take his salary and is the “only president that donated his salary.” He complained that the media never covers this. Trump said he donates his presidential emoluments to preserve the White House. The POTUS drew parallels with George Washington for not taking a salary.
“The only one they say may have done that was George Washington, but the records are not there. But they say they think George Washington worked for a dollar. You’re not allowed to donate. You have to work for $1. So I get, actually, $1, to be specific. I’m not allowed to do it. I have to get something by law. So I take $1. But I’m very proud to do it, and I’m very proud of the job we’ve done,” Trump said.
Trump claims US has “less poverty now” than at any time “in the history”
During a press interaction at the White House on Sunday, Trump told the media that, according to the latest statistics, the US has the “best employment numbers” in history. Per a press gaggle video shared by the White House on Sunday, Trump also spoke about poverty statistics, saying:
“We have the best poverty numbers ever in the history of our country. In other words, there’s less poverty now than at any time in the history of our country. And we have the best income numbers per individual in the history of our country. People are making more money than they’ve ever made before.”
Trump has maintained for weeks that oil prices would tumble soon. During Sunday’s press interaction, he reiterated the claim, adding that oil is currently “less expensive” than it was under the Biden administration.
“With all of that, oil will come dropping down as soon as Iran gives up, as soon as the war is over, which will be soon. Oil is going to come plummeting down, and all prices are coming down. The prices for groceries have come way down from Biden. Almost every price has come way down, and remember one thing: oil is less expensive now than it was under the Biden administration,” Trump said (via Indy100).
The president has constantly faced criticism from many over surging fuel prices amid the Iran war. According to Reuters, Trump recently rejected a deal proposed by Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “they’re losing so badly.”