The claim that Trump said the US 'should be at 12% and 13% GDP' growth is true because multiple reliable sources from 2026 report that President Trump expressed a desire for US GDP growth rates in the 12-13% range, despite this being widely regarded as unrealistic by economic experts.
Trump says the US "should be at 12% and 13% GDP.

The Trump administration's claim it can double long-term GDP growth is unrealistic - Brookings
Source: brookings.edu
Key Evidence
Benzinga reports Trump explicitly stating the US should be at 12-13% GDP growth.
The Times of India confirms this statement in a recent interview context.
Brookings and other economic analyses label such growth expectations as unrealistic.
What the Evidence Shows
Several sources confirm that President Donald Trump publicly stated that the US economy should be growing at rates of 12% to 13% GDP growth. For example, Benzingabenzinga.combenzinga.comTrump Wants the US Economy Growing at Over 12% and Says the Fed Keeps Trying To... directly quotes Trump saying there is no reason to stop at 4% growth and that the US should be at 12 or 13 percent GDP growth. The Times of India
timesofindia.indiatimes.comtimesofindia.indiatimes.comTrump Praises India'S Economy: Year after calling India 'dead economy', Donald... also references this statement during a CNBC interview where Trump claimed the US was in a 'Golden Age' and should achieve such high growth rates.
However, economic analysts and institutions consider these targets unrealistic. Brookingsbrookings.edubrookings.eduThe Trump administration's claim it can double long-term GDP growth is... critiques the Trump administration's claims about doubling long-term GDP growth as unrealistic, and other sources like The Guardian and Center for American Progress
americanprogress.orgamericanprogress.orgThe Trump Administration’s Policies Have Hurt Growth, Jobs, and Prices highlight that actual growth rates under Trump’s policies have been much lower, with some negative economic impacts noted.
Thus, while the statement about Trump's claim is factually accurate, it is important to note that these growth targets are not supported by mainstream economic forecasts or historical precedent.