Trump raises eyebrows as he claims US has ‘best poverty numbers’ | indy100

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Just hours after claiming his administration has “the BEST FINANCIAL NUMBERS EVER”, US president Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House on Sunday that America also has “the best poverty numbers ever” – phrasing which has stunned social media users.

Speaking ahead of a trip to Illinois, to attend the 2026 Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Medinah Country Club, the convicted felon said: “We have the best, uh, I guess you could say poverty. They talk poverty.

“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.”

It is true that, according to US Census Bureau data released earlier this month, the poverty rate dropped to a historic low of 10.2 per cent last year, but Stateline reports that experts have cautioned that the stat “doesn’t reflect the effects of new federal policy changes that will be hitting households hard this year” – such as cuts to Medicaid and food assistance.

“The main issue for most individuals is going to be the fact that prices and inflation is outstripping wage growth, and so that’s obviously some diminution of real incomes for some people,” Steven Durlauf, of the University of Chicago, told the outlet.

But over on X/Twitter, it’s the way in which Trump has cited this particular statistic which has been met with ridicule and concern:

“He’s so stupid,” wrote one user:

Another account joked: “Trump: ‘We have all the poors. The best poors. Living in cardboard boxes, eating powdered milk and tuna. Vote Republican!”:

A third wrote: “Nothing captures American politics quite like a billionaire standing outside his mansion telling everyone “we have the best poverty”:

Progressive tweeter Lucas Sanders asked: “Best poverty?”:

And political commentator Jo Carducci asked: “Remember when we didn’t have a brainless f***ing moron for a so-called President?”:

It’s not the only brag from a member of the Trump administration to spark criticism in recent days, as FBI director Kash Patel was mocked by X/Twitter users for celebrating making a number of phone calls in his job.

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