FX.co ★ Trump blames election loss on failure to sell economic successes to voters

President Donald Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes that the White House failed to adequately convince the public of the “phenomenal” results of its economic policies. He said macroeconomic indicators have reached unprecedented levels and that 401(k) retirement balances have hit record highs, making people richer. When the host noted that robust retirement savings are not available to all Americans, Trump replied that a significant share of the population holds such accounts and lamented shortcomings in his team’s communications.

The president expressed confidence that the public will visibly appreciate the positive changes within two to four months, as protectionist measures revive manufacturing jobs. He blamed Democrats and their supporters for the market volatility that followed the Republican election losses in the midterms, saying they had no one to blame but themselves. Polling data paint a different picture: according to CBS, about 75% of voters rate the country’s economic situation as unsatisfactory, and 70% of those respondents voted for Democratic candidates.

Observers have assessed how domestic turbulence in Washington might affect US foreign policy activity. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented that the current US administration will continue to pursue its foreign policy course, while noting that election results and domestic economic disputes are internal matters for the United States.