The Greatest Economy

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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.

YearPresidentGDP ChangeRank
1942Roosevelt18.9%1
1941Roosevelt17.7%2
1943Roosevelt17.0%3
1936Roosevelt12.9%4
1934Roosevelt10.8%5
1935Roosevelt8.9%6
1940Roosevelt8.8%7
1950Truman8.7%8
1939Roosevelt8.0%9
1951Truman8.0%10
1944Roosevelt7.9%11
1984Reagan7.2%12
1955Eisenhower7.1%13
1959Eisenhower6.9%14
1966Johnson6.6%15
1965Johnson6.5%16
1962Kennedy6.1%17
1964Johnson5.8%18
2021Biden5.8%19
1973Nixon5.6%20
1978Carter5.5%21
1976Ford5.4%22
1972Nixon5.3%23
1937Roosevelt5.1%24
1968Johnson4.9%25
1999Clinton4.8%26
1953Eisenhower4.7%27
1977Carter4.6%28
1983Reagan4.6%29
1998Clinton4.5%30
1963Kennedy4.4%31
1997Clinton4.4%32
1985Reagan4.2%33
1988Reagan4.2%34
1948Truman4.1%35
1952Truman4.1%36
2000Clinton4.1%37
1994Clinton4.0%38
1996Clinton3.8%39
2004Bush 433.8%40
1989Bush 413.7%41
1986Reagan3.5%42
1987Reagan3.5%43
1992Bush 413.5%44
2005Bush 433.5%45
1971Nixon3.3%46
1979Carter3.2%47
1969Nixon3.1%48
2018Trump3.0%49
2015Obama2.9%50
2003Bush 432.8%51
2006Bush 432.8%52
1967Johnson2.7%53
1993Clinton2.7%54
1995Clinton2.7%55
2010Obama2.7%56
1960Eisenhower2.6%57
1961Kennedy2.6%58
1981Reagan2.5%59
2014Obama2.5%60
2017Trump2.5%61
2019Trump2.5%62
2023Biden2.5%63
2012Obama2.3%64
1956Eisenhower2.1%65
1957Eisenhower2.1%66
2013Obama2.1%67
2007Bush 432.0%68
1990Bush 411.9%69
2022Biden1.9%70
2016Obama1.8%71
2002Bush 431.7%72
2011Obama1.6%73
2001Bush 431.0%74
1970Nixon0.2%75
2008Bush 430.1%76
1991Bush 41-0.1%77
1975Ford-0.2%78
1980Carter-0.3%79
1974Nixon-0.5%80
1949Truman-0.6%81
1954Eisenhower-0.6%82
1958Eisenhower-0.7%83
1945Truman-1.0%84
1947Truman-1.1%85
1933Roosevelt-1.2%86
1982Reagan-1.8%87
2020Trump-2.2%88
2009Obama-2.6%89
1938Roosevelt-3.3%90
1931Hoover-6.4%91
1930Hoover-8.5%92
1946Truman-11.6%93
1932Hoover-12.9%94