The Atlantic

The Myth of the ‘Trump Miracle’

The economy is doing great and the president wants credit. He hasn’t earned it.
Source: Carlos Barria / Reuters

It has been a tumultuous year for Donald Trump, brimming with legal scandals and high-profile White House departures. But the president should give thanks this holiday season, because he is the recipient of an extraordinary present—an economy gift-wrapped and tied with a big, beautiful bow.

After a terrible recession and a slow recuperation, America’s economy is in a record-setting mood these days. The Dow has set an all-time high in 2017—once every five days—while the unemployment rate has neared an all-century low. Manufacturing confidence is , and confidence among home builders has matched an. A yuletide glow illuminates even some of the darkest of corners of the economy: After a rough year for traditional retailers, holiday sales are projected to hit their.

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