The economy is shrinking and inflation is exploding. Trump has ruined Biden’s economy.

The claim contains multiple components: that the economy is shrinking, inflation is exploding, and that Trump ruined Biden’s economy. First, regarding economic contraction, the U.S. GDP shrank at an annualized rate of 0.3% in Q1 2025, marking a rare quarter of negative growth. However, this contraction occurred after Biden’s presidency and was influenced by factors including tariff policies initiated by Trump himself, which led to import surges as businesses stockpiled goods ahead of tariffs. Thus, blaming Biden alone ignores these contributing factors.

Second, inflation did reach a four-decade high of about 9% in 2022 under Biden but has since fallen significantly to around 3% by late 2024.forbes.comforbes.comHow The Economy Really Fared Under Biden/Harris And Trump—From Jobs To Inflation...france24.comfrance24.comTrump blames Biden after US economy shrinks amid sweeping tariffs This inflation spike was driven by global issues such as COVID-19 supply chain disruptions and the Russia-Ukraine war, not solely domestic policy. By the time Biden left office, inflation had substantially decreased.france24.comfrance24.comTrump blames Biden after US economy shrinks amid sweeping tariffs

Third, the assertion that Trump 'ruined' Biden’s economy is misleading. Economic trends are influenced by policies from multiple administrations and global events. The economic challenges during Biden’s term were partly inherited from the pandemic recession under Trump’s administration and exacerbated by global crises. Moreover, some economic indicators improved under Biden, such as job growth and inflation reduction after its peak.forbes.comforbes.comHow The Economy Really Fared Under Biden/Harris And Trump—From Jobs To Inflation...

In summary, while there are valid concerns about recent economic contraction and past inflation spikes, attributing these solely to Biden or blaming Trump for ruining Biden’s economy distorts the facts. The economic situation is multifaceted with overlapping causes across administrations.