Stacked against his campaign promises from 2016, Trump's record
was mixed on issues including eliminating the trade deficit and locking in 3%
annual economic growth.
By Howard
Schneider
WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald
Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden hold the first of three debates
Tuesday night ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and the economy is expected to be a
key topic.
At issue: What did Trump accomplish for the economy in three tumultuous years
of trade wars and tax cuts? How much blame should he bear for the mass layoffs
and slump triggered by the coronavirus
pandemic? Can Biden convince voters he will be a better steward of the
world's largest economy?
Before March,
Trump had a clear argument for reelection. Record-low unemployment and rising
wages were helping the less well-off, while a record stock market buoyed richer
Americans.
Even at that
point, however, growth seemed to be slowing as the impact of 2017's tax cut,
which slashed taxes for companies, ebbed.
Stacked against
his campaign promises from 2016, Trump's record was mixed on issues including
eliminating the trade deficit and locking in 3% annual economic growth. (See
graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2P4ZAuG)
From perhaps the
broadest barometer - job creation - the economy under Trump actually slowed
from the trend begun during former President Barack Obama's second term, before
the pandemic hit.
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