WASHINGTON — To hear Donald Trump, in the not-quite-four months since he regained the presidency, he has brought some $14 trillion in new investment into the country, with $4 trillion from his just-concluded trip to the Arabian Peninsula alone.
“The jobs and money coming into our country, there’s never been anything like it. You see that the companies are American-based companies,” Trump told reporters as Air Force One was leaving the United Arab Emirates on Friday, attributing all the new investments to his election. “They’re doing work that wouldn’t have been available to them, except for Nov. 5.”
The figure seems incredible — given that the nation’s entire gross domestic product is only about $29 trillion — and economists say there is a reason for that. It is incredible because it’s not remotely true.
“No,” University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers said when asked if Trump’s assertions are possibly correct. “That’s the answer.”
The White House press office did not respond to HuffPost’s request for a full list of the investments totaling the $14 trillion, nor one for the list of those making up $8 trillion when Trump was claiming that amount just two weeks ago.
