Vice President Kamala Harris, in her first exclusive Fox News interview since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, set the stage for a battle over the economy against Donald Trump.
During her sit-down with “Special Report” host Bret Baier, Harris wasted no time emphasizing why her economic plan is superior to the former president’s, despite public sentiment leaning toward Trump’s economic record.
“My economic plan focuses on the real drivers of the American economy – small businesses and working families,” Harris explained. “We need to support young parents and ensure small businesses thrive as they are the backbone of our nation’s economy.”
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Harris argued that experts, including Nobel laureates and leading financial institutions, have rigorously examined her policies and backed her approach. “Analyses by 16 Nobel laureates, Goldman Sachs and Moody’s have shown that my plan would strengthen the economy,” she said.
Harris also referenced a recent Wall Street Journal study supporting her claim. “In contrast, Trump’s policies would weaken our economy, fuel inflation and lead to a recession by the middle of next year.”
However, the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a nonpartisan research initiative, recently released findings that complicate Harris’ case. Their analysis suggests that her economic plan could add $1.2 trillion to the national deficit and trim GDP by 1.3% over the next decade. By 2054, it projects a reduction in economic growth by 3%.
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While likely to boost GDP in the short term, Trump’s plan could also balloon the national deficit by $4.1 trillion over the next decade and eventually slow economic growth. According to Wharton’s projections, Trump’s plan could reduce GDP by 0.4% by 2034 and 2.1% by 2054.
Still, polling paints a complicated picture for both candidates. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Harris leads Trump by a slim margin of 45% to 42%, a statistical dead heat given the margin of error. However, in terms of economics, Trump appears to have the edge. The same poll shows that 45% of respondents trust Trump’s economic handling, compared to 40% for Harris.
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Harris remained undeterred when pressed on why voters still trust Trump on the economy. “I understand this race isn’t supposed to be easy,” she admitted. “But I believe Americans are ready to move past the divisive rhetoric of Donald Trump. They want a president with a clear, forward-looking plan to strengthen the country and that’s what I’m offering.”
Trump’s campaign team, however, had a different take. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, slammed Harris’ performance in the interview. “It was a train wreck,” Leavitt said in a statement. “Kamala couldn’t give a straight answer because she has no answers. Her entire campaign is built on lies about President Donald Trump.”
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