Critics are calling out Donald Trump for saying he’s hoping for an economic crash this year.
Stocks are surging, unemployment is near historic lows and the nation appears to have avoided a predicted recession. Yet Trump claimed on Monday that the economy is “fragile” and running on “fumes” as he warned of a crash.
“And when there’s a crash, I hope it’s gonna be during this next 12 months, because I don’t wanna be Herbert Hoover,” Trump told Lindell TV host Lou Dobbs. “The one president, I just don’t want to be, Herbert Hoover.”
Hoover was president during the 1929 stock market crash, which plunged the nation into the Great Depression.
Speaking on MSNBC, Representative Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California) said Trump may need “an intervention” from his family.
“It’s just another manifestation of the insensitivity and the grotesqueness of this person,” she told Jen Psaki as she slammed the effect an economic crash would have on people.
Also on MSNBC, former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele called Trump’s hope “the dumbest thing in the world to say.”
“Think about it: The man says ‘I want to be a dictator’ and ‘I want the stock market to crash.’ OK, so you’re 0-for-2 in my book, Skippy,” he said, adding that Trump’s hope means the former president wants people to lose their life savings.
“Why? Because it benefits him,” Steele said.
Others on social media also spoke out against the former president:
Donald Trump openly says he hopes the economy crashes in the next 12 months because “he doesn’t want to be Herbert Hoover.” What an utter disgrace this man is. pic.twitter.com/FbyikUHziH
— Andrew—Author of America Rises On Substack—Wortman (@AmoneyResists) January 9, 2024
Watch this. The head of the republican party wants you to lose your job and the economy to collapse because he thinks it will help him. The republican party is unfit to govern and does not give a damn about you. https://t.co/ygqKg30s2j
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) January 9, 2024
Trump in this clip: “I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover… I just don’t want to be Herbert Hoover.”
Trump was the first president since Hoover to leave office with fewer jobs than when he took office https://t.co/wapoJKBzVy
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) January 9, 2024
There is only one man Trump cares about
Trump says he hopes economy crashes in next 12 months: ‘I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover’ | The Hill https://t.co/bWdCOCGek9
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) January 9, 2024
Trump wants your personal financial stability to go down the drain so he can personally benefit. https://t.co/UdDTWRwiW8
— Chris Strider (@stridinstrider) January 9, 2024
Such a weak and pathetic person https://t.co/A9zTxboZYR
— Senator Bob Duff, Majority Leader, Connecticut (@senatorduff) January 9, 2024
Oh don't worry — you're not Herbert Hoover.
You're far, far worse. https://t.co/uMDZvKISSE— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) January 9, 2024
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe presidential candidates should want America to be in the best shape possible, no matter if they’re elected or not 🤔
— Jeff Hudson (@ItsJeffHudson) January 9, 2024
It’s all about him. He hates you, America. https://t.co/8odeLVFxZx
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) January 9, 2024
The commercials write themselves. https://t.co/f1BBNUmheN
— Justin Allen (@JAllen_NYC) January 9, 2024
Never has there ever been a former president who has publicly and openly wished for people to suffer. 🤬🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/m4wcxiDpZO
— Steve (@postalsteve) January 9, 2024
Reminder that if any other elected official, Democrat or Republican, was caught on tape saying they hoped the American economy collapsed their political career would be over in a second. https://t.co/q7uRhWQ0QV
— Chris Jackson (@ChrisCJackson) January 9, 2024
Fact: Donald Trump was the only President in American history to preside over a net jobs loss. Even Dubya saw a net jobs gain, but not Donny T.
He's making history for all the wrong reasons. https://t.co/a7IkL15g0Q
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) January 9, 2024
Malignant narcissism and schadenfreude are a dangerous combination in anyone. For a candidate for public office, they ought to be disqualifying.
It says a lot about our current politics—and none of it good—that they’re not. https://t.co/QKXTSqmJzr
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) January 9, 2024
I'm pretty sure that if he's willing to crash the economy, he was willing to overthrow our democracy. https://t.co/6IfDUDaHWT
— I Smoked Klanuary 6th (@BlackKnight10k) January 9, 2024
He hates America. https://t.co/HxkDJOf902
— Machine Pun Kelly 🇺🇦 (@KellyScaletta) January 9, 2024