Hassett Blames Biden for Inflation, Claims Trump’s Pandemic Spending Was Balanced

Kevin Hassett has reasserted that the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 crisis was fiscally restrained, placing responsibility for ongoing economic pressures on former President Joe Biden’s subsequent spending policies.

The comments emerged after a CNBC host raised the issue of pandemic-related costs during a discussion about voter sentiment. Hassett, a former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, stated that his time in office was characterized by an effort to “fill the hole” without overspending.

“We wanted to fill the hole, but not do more than that,” Hassett explained regarding the initial months of 2020 when the virus began spreading. He contrasted this approach with the Biden administration, arguing that the former president took existing pandemic funding and redirected it toward other expenditures that were not necessary.

“What Biden did is he took all that spending and he decided to spend it on other things, even though we didn’t need it,” Hassett said.

Hassett also highlighted economic indicators from the end of Trump’s first term to support his defense. He noted that inflation stood at just 1.5 percent when President Trump left office, pointing to it as evidence of better affordability under his tenure.

The remarks come as the Trump campaign faces a challenging electoral landscape nearly two years after the 2024 presidential election. Recent polling indicates growing voter dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the economy and his general approval ratings. In a memo addressing political strategy, Trump allies acknowledged that the strongest argument against Republican candidates remains the perception of increased costs for voters.

While Trump and his officials have traditionally countered criticism by contrasting their record favorably against the Biden era or blaming lingering problems on the former president’s policies, these tactics appear to be losing effectiveness as disapproval ratings rise.