Looking at economic growth during presidencies.
While Donald Trump says he built the greatest economy ever, growth in gross domestic product during his administration was bested many times. From 1930 to 2023, there were 48 years when GDP grew faster than in Trump’s best year. In the nearby chart, the four Trump years are in red.
| Year | President | GDP Change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Roosevelt | 18.9% | 1 |
| 1941 | Roosevelt | 17.7% | 2 |
| 1943 | Roosevelt | 17.0% | 3 |
| 1936 | Roosevelt | 12.9% | 4 |
| 1934 | Roosevelt | 10.8% | 5 |
| 1935 | Roosevelt | 8.9% | 6 |
| 1940 | Roosevelt | 8.8% | 7 |
| 1950 | Truman | 8.7% | 8 |
| 1939 | Roosevelt | 8.0% | 9 |
| 1951 | Truman | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1944 | Roosevelt | 7.9% | 11 |
| 1984 | Reagan | 7.2% | 12 |
| 1955 | Eisenhower | 7.1% | 13 |
| 1959 | Eisenhower | 6.9% | 14 |
| 1966 | Johnson | 6.6% | 15 |
| 1965 | Johnson | 6.5% | 16 |
| 1962 | Kennedy | 6.1% | 17 |
| 1964 | Johnson | 5.8% | 18 |
| 2021 | Biden | 5.8% | 19 |
| 1973 | Nixon | 5.6% | 20 |
| 1978 | Carter | 5.5% | 21 |
| 1976 | Ford | 5.4% | 22 |
| 1972 | Nixon | 5.3% | 23 |
| 1937 | Roosevelt | 5.1% | 24 |
| 1968 | Johnson | 4.9% | 25 |
| 1999 | Clinton | 4.8% | 26 |
| 1953 | Eisenhower | 4.7% | 27 |
| 1977 | Carter | 4.6% | 28 |
| 1983 | Reagan | 4.6% | 29 |
| 1998 | Clinton | 4.5% | 30 |
| 1963 | Kennedy | 4.4% | 31 |
| 1997 | Clinton | 4.4% | 32 |
| 1985 | Reagan | 4.2% | 33 |
| 1988 | Reagan | 4.2% | 34 |
| 1948 | Truman | 4.1% | 35 |
| 1952 | Truman | 4.1% | 36 |
| 2000 | Clinton | 4.1% | 37 |
| 1994 | Clinton | 4.0% | 38 |
| 1996 | Clinton | 3.8% | 39 |
| 2004 | Bush 43 | 3.8% | 40 |
| 1989 | Bush 41 | 3.7% | 41 |
| 1986 | Reagan | 3.5% | 42 |
| 1987 | Reagan | 3.5% | 43 |
| 1992 | Bush 41 | 3.5% | 44 |
| 2005 | Bush 43 | 3.5% | 45 |
| 1971 | Nixon | 3.3% | 46 |
| 1979 | Carter | 3.2% | 47 |
| 1969 | Nixon | 3.1% | 48 |
| 2018 | Trump | 3.0% | 49 |
| 2015 | Obama | 2.9% | 50 |
| 2003 | Bush 43 | 2.8% | 51 |
| 2006 | Bush 43 | 2.8% | 52 |
| 1967 | Johnson | 2.7% | 53 |
| 1993 | Clinton | 2.7% | 54 |
| 1995 | Clinton | 2.7% | 55 |
| 2010 | Obama | 2.7% | 56 |
| 1960 | Eisenhower | 2.6% | 57 |
| 1961 | Kennedy | 2.6% | 58 |
| 1981 | Reagan | 2.5% | 59 |
| 2014 | Obama | 2.5% | 60 |
| 2017 | Trump | 2.5% | 61 |
| 2019 | Trump | 2.5% | 62 |
| 2023 | Biden | 2.5% | 63 |
| 2012 | Obama | 2.3% | 64 |
| 1956 | Eisenhower | 2.1% | 65 |
| 1957 | Eisenhower | 2.1% | 66 |
| 2013 | Obama | 2.1% | 67 |
| 2007 | Bush 43 | 2.0% | 68 |
| 1990 | Bush 41 | 1.9% | 69 |
| 2022 | Biden | 1.9% | 70 |
| 2016 | Obama | 1.8% | 71 |
| 2002 | Bush 43 | 1.7% | 72 |
| 2011 | Obama | 1.6% | 73 |
| 2001 | Bush 43 | 1.0% | 74 |
| 1970 | Nixon | 0.2% | 75 |
| 2008 | Bush 43 | 0.1% | 76 |
| 1991 | Bush 41 | -0.1% | 77 |
| 1975 | Ford | -0.2% | 78 |
| 1980 | Carter | -0.3% | 79 |
| 1974 | Nixon | -0.5% | 80 |
| 1949 | Truman | -0.6% | 81 |
| 1954 | Eisenhower | -0.6% | 82 |
| 1958 | Eisenhower | -0.7% | 83 |
| 1945 | Truman | -1.0% | 84 |
| 1947 | Truman | -1.1% | 85 |
| 1933 | Roosevelt | -1.2% | 86 |
| 1982 | Reagan | -1.8% | 87 |
| 2020 | Trump | -2.2% | 88 |
| 2009 | Obama | -2.6% | 89 |
| 1938 | Roosevelt | -3.3% | 90 |
| 1931 | Hoover | -6.4% | 91 |
| 1930 | Hoover | -8.5% | 92 |
| 1946 | Truman | -11.6% | 93 |
| 1932 | Hoover | -12.9% | 94 |
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