Former head of Obama Auto Task Force. Wall Street financier. Contributing Writer to NY Times Op-Ed. Morning Joe Economic Analyst. 🌐https://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtwkpxaays2pU.S. debt surpassed 100% of GDP this year and is on track to reach 188% over the next 30 years, according to new analysis by @bbkogan.bsky.social and @jaredb-econ.bsky.social. They find the debt would instead be trending down toward 48%, were it not for the Bush and Trump tax cuts.25 Aug 2026 19:33 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwkpxaays2phttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtwdccc6yk2fRecent decades have been characterized by a two-speed economy as the wealthy pull away from everyone else. In recent years, a new two-speed economy has emerged: economic growth driven by AI vs. everything else.25 Aug 2026 17:20 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwdccc6yk2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtvzxwmvgc2aThe ongoing AI build out is significantly larger as a percent of GDP than the major previous construction booms in U.S. history.25 Aug 2026 14:33 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtvzxwmvgc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtts26efsc2pWages grew in step with the stock market for the first decades of the postwar boom. Since the 1980s, stocks have skyrocketed while wages stayed on the same trajectory: +9,686% vs. +1,196%. That gap is a big driver of inequality — and a case for taxing capital more like work.24 Aug 2026 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtts26efsc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mttkyzu6r22bPresident Trump decided to dip into the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve after his Iran War crashed global oil supply. Now the strategic reserve is at its lowest level since 1982.24 Aug 2026 15:00 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttkyzu6r22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtmjwha6qs2vIn 2024, Trump claimed to have “a concept of a plan” to replace Obamacare and bring down health insurance costs. No plan was ever enacted, but he still sabotaged Obamacare. Now millions of Americans are paying thousands more on premiums every year. My final @nytopinion.nytimes.com Chart:21 Aug 2026 19:52 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtmjwha6qs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtmewvsuhk2bPresident Trump promised there'd be no cuts to Medicaid. Then he pushed through his One Big Beautiful Bill, which cut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion and has already caused over 5 million Americans to lose health insurance. Read my take in @nytopinion.nytimes.com: nyti.ms/4xOJVR621 Aug 2026 18:22 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtmewvsuhk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtm5wavwxk2oTrump understood that high mortgage rates make homeownership unaffordable and committed to bring them down. Instead, they’ve gone up thanks to his boost to inflation and the federal debt. My chart for @nytopinion.nytimes.com: nyti.ms/4xOJVR621 Aug 2026 16:17 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtm5wavwxk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtkat6qdxs2oAmericans, particularly young people, are struggling to buy homes. Trump said he'd make homeownership more affordable, but new home prices are essentially flat. My @nytopinion.nytimes.com Chart: nyti.ms/4xOJVR620 Aug 2026 22:03 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtkat6qdxs2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtjxbs22r225Trump said he'd get gas prices below $2 a gallon. Thanks to his Iran War and the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, gas has spiked to almost double that level. Read my take on Trump's broken promises in @nytopinion.nytimes.com: nyti.ms/4xOJVR620 Aug 2026 19:13 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjxbs22r225https://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtjp42rwyk2yMusk predicted $2 trillion in savings from DOGE. The real number ended up being less than $50 billion. This year, the debt passed 100% of GDP and is on track to break its WWII-era record in the next few years. 📸: @ms.now @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social20 Aug 2026 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjp42rwyk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtjkfckegs2tTrump boasted he'd bring down prices. Not only have prices not come down, inflation has accelerated with the Iran War, and wage growth has slowed. That means real wages have shrunk on average over the past year. Read more in my op-ed for @nytopinion.nytimes.com: nyti.ms/4xOJVR620 Aug 2026 15:22 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjkfckegs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mthgzllon22pTrump predicted we'd make trillions off tariffs. Now we're losing billions as companies claim refunds for tariffs SCOTUS ruled illegal. American consumers, on the other hand, won't get any refunds for the higher prices they've paid for months. My @nytopinion.nytimes.com Chart:19 Aug 2026 19:16 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mthgzllon22phttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mth565vn522pBringing manufacturing jobs home was a core campaign promise for President Trump. Yet the data shows little progress toward that goal. Factory jobs peaked under Biden and have declined by over 60,00 since Trump's inauguration. Read more in my op-ed for @nytopinion.nytimes.com: nyti.ms/4xOJVR619 Aug 2026 16:20 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mth565vn522phttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtgw3ovgks2cTrump promised to bring down the government’s debt. Instead, it’s continued to grow, passing 100% of GDP and on track to exceed its WWII record in the next few years. My @nytopinion.nytimes.com Chart:19 Aug 2026 14:13 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgw3ovgks2chttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mteytjokh22wTrump promised to balance the budget. Musk projected $2 trillion in savings. This year, the deficit grew by 18% — with $200 billion of that due to refunds of his illegal tariffs. My @nytimes.com Chart18 Aug 2026 19:57 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mteytjokh22whttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mtetelxmwc23Trump said we'd grow "like nobody's ever grown before." Bessent promised 3% growth by the end of 2026. Instead, growth decelerated from 2.8% under Biden to 1.8% thus far this year. My @nytopinion.nytimes.com Chart:18 Aug 2026 18:19 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtetelxmwc23https://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mteqsoi4js233% GDP Growth. A Balanced Budget. $2 Gas. Just a few of Trump's economic promises that have been broken since he took office. Read more in my new op-ed for @nytopinion.nytimes.com. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/18/opinion/trump-economy-campaign-promises.html?eafs_enabled=false18 Aug 2026 17:34 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mteqsoi4js23https://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msxyz4zdtk2mWorkers' share of GDP is at its lowest point on record whereas the corporate share is near record highs. This dynamic may exacerbate as Trump's fiscal policies disproportionately benefit corporations and the wealthy.13 Aug 2026 15:56 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxyz4zdtk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msvu4wbfsk2eAfter the pandemic, real wages grew strongly across the board — and pay rose faster at the bottom and middle than at the top, by the widest margin on record. Under Trump, real wage growth has cratered, and the lowest-paid have fallen furthest behind.12 Aug 2026 19:23 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvu4wbfsk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msvqgfu6622pGas prices are down from their May peak, but still up 25% from one year ago. They will remain elevated as long as oil supply is blocked in the Strait of Hormuz.12 Aug 2026 18:17 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvqgfu6622phttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msvj225mrc2dInflation was down slightly last month, but wage growth was down more. That means inflation from the Iran War continues to erase all wage gains.12 Aug 2026 16:05 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvj225mrc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mst4ux4zqc23While George Soros is the biggest single donor, all the other top 10 megadonors are funding the GOP. This number includes many invested heavily in tech and crypto. My @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social Chart11 Aug 2026 17:22 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mst4ux4zqc23https://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msszepakz22kThe ultra-wealthy have already donated billions to influence the midterms. Pooling the top 50 biggest donors, two-thirds of these funds are going to the GOP. My @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social Chart11 Aug 2026 16:19 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msszepakz22khttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mssuh22hmk2kThe Democrats’ Senate slate is extremely strong when it comes to fundraising. In the South, Ossoff, Talarico and Cooper are trouncing their opponents in cash on hand. My @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social Chart11 Aug 2026 14:51 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mssuh22hmk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3mssrznzcok2lDemocratic House and Senate candidates are beating their Republican opponents in fundraising. Yet the RNC and Trump super PACs have a massive amount of cash on hand to fight back. My @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social Chart11 Aug 2026 14:07 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3mssrznzcok2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msqb6j76n22uPresident Trump inherited a strong labor market from President Biden. Since his inauguration, average monthly job creation has fallen dramatically: from 122k/month in 2024 to 33k/month in 2025-26.10 Aug 2026 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqb6j76n22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msj4mqjuzs2cWage growth ticked below inflation again last month. That means Americans' average wages shrunk in real terms over the past year. Real wages were growing when Biden left office, but the trend flipped negative after Trump launched the Iran War.07 Aug 2026 17:50 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msj4mqjuzs2chttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msj2sssywk2zThis morning's jobs report was shockingly negative. Not only did the economy lose 23,000 jobs in July — the previous estimates for May and June were revised down by 103,000. These numbers are a major red flag indicating the labor market is weaker than previously thought.07 Aug 2026 17:18 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msj2sssywk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/steverattner.bsky.social/post/3msgpc3ilv22cOver 5 million low-income Americans — including at least 1.5 million children — have lost access to food assistance due to Trump's SNAP cuts last year. Most of the hardest hit states are traditionally Republican, resulting in growing hunger crises in states like Arizona.06 Aug 2026 18:46 +0000at://did:plc:2siuzncztvvgr47k7e7esvim/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgpc3ilv22c