WASHINGTON (AP) – Donald Trump’s prediction that 25 million jobs would be created by his economic plan in a decade isn’t nearly as bold as it might sound. Jobs have already been growing at that rate and Trump’s goal is actually a bit less ambitious than what happened under President Barack Obama in the last few years.
Here’s a look at some of the statements in the plan he laid out in New York on Thursday and how they compare with the facts:
TRUMP, on 14 million people leaving the workforce during Obama’s presidency: “My economic plan rejects the cynicism that says our labor force will keep declining.”
THE FACTS: It’s not cynicism that’s the problem, it’s mostly aging.
Roughly 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day, and many of them retire. That reduces the number of Americans working or looking for work and limits how fast the economy can grow. Fewer people working translates into slower growth. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the labor force participation rate will be 60.2 percent in 2026, down from 62.8 percent today, based partly on population trends.