View attachment 8273
Donald Trump (2017–2020)
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate: 2.3%
President
Donald Trump had an average annual GDP growth rate of 2.3%. While there were no major wars or recessions during Trump’s presidency, he did face the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, his last year in office. Trump increased spending and cut taxes, while the Fed raised interest rates in response to Trump’s expansionary fiscal policies.4849
Trump placed import taxes on products from China, particularly steel and aluminum, to boost sales of American-made products. However, it hurt the sales of American exports instead, as China responded by placing tariffs on products it imported from the U.S. It also increased costs for American consumers.50
The economy went into recession with the onset of the COVID-19 public health crisis in March 2020 as businesses closed down and Americans sheltered in place. The recession was short but severe, and the Trump administration responded by declaring a state of emergency and passing a $2 trillion stimulus package called the
CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. The CARES Act provided relief for businesses and individuals through stimulus payments and a pause on student loan payments, among other measures, but it was not enough to pull the economy out of the pandemic-induced recession.
U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth by President
By
Hiranmayi Srinivasan
Updated November 04, 2024
Reviewed by
Samantha Silberstein
Fact checked by
Vikki Velasquez
A U.S. president’s policies can greatly affect
gross domestic product (GDP), an indicator used to measure a country’s economic activity. GDP is the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced in a country during a specific period. GDP growth measures the change in GDP between two periods.
Both GDP and GDP growth are used to reflect economic performance during a presidential administration. However, the indicators come with limitations since they can be affected by events and circumstances beyond a president’s control.
Key Takeaways
- A president’s fiscal and monetary policies can significantly impact GDP, which is a crucial measure of economic activity.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt had the highest average annual GDP growth at 10.1% from increased government spending for World War II.
- President Herbert Hoover had the worst annual GDP growth of all U.S. presidents so far at -9.3% due to the Great Depression.
- The biggest drop in GDP growth was in 1932, the worst year of the Great Depression, when GDP growth was -12.9% during Hoover’s term.
Essentially, GDP serves as a report card on the overall health of the economy. The metric is closely followed by policymakers, investors, and businesses when making strategic decisions. The White House and Congress use GDP to prepare the federal budget, and the
Federal Reserve uses it to make decisions about
monetary policy.1
In this article, we are using
real GDP to show the average annual GDP growth rate by president since it accounts for inflation.
Real GDP is the value of a country’s total output of goods and services adjusted for
inflation or
deflation.1
Historical U.S. GDP Growth
According to economists, the ideal average annual GDP growth should be 2% to 3% each year.23 President Franklin D. Roosevelt had the highest average annual growth at 10.1% because of increased government spending for World War II. President Herbert Hoover had the worst annual GDP growth of all U.S. presidents so far at -9.3%, due to the
Great Depression, which began and lasted through his term. The biggest drop in GDP growth was in 1932, the worst year of the Great Depression, when GDP growth was -12.9% during Hoover’s term.
Rapid GDP growth does not always equal a strong economy—if the economy grows too quickly, it can cause inflation or create a
bubble.
At the same time, if the
economy slows down too much, and too fast, that can cause a
recession. The goal is to maintain the GDP at a steady rate that can be sustained over time, so presidents with average GDP growth of 2% to 3%—which economists consider a healthy range—will have the best growth.
GDP Growth by President
Here’s a breakdown of the GDP growth rate under each U.S. president—starting with Hoover in 1929—and the events that affected each person’s presidency.4
GDP Growth by U.S. President | | |
---|
President | Years | Average Annual GDP Growth |
Herbert Hoover | 1929–1933 | -9.3% |
Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933–1945 | 10.1% |
Harry S. Truman | 1945–1953 | 1.4% |
Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1953–1961 | 2.8% |
John F. Kennedy | 1961–1963 | 5.2% |
Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963–1969 | 5.2% |
Richard Nixon | 1969–1974 | 2.7% |
Gerald R. Ford | 1974–1977 | 5.4% |
Jimmy Carter | 1977–1981 | 2.8% |
Ronald Reagan | 1981–1989 | 3.6% |
George H.W. Bush | 1989–1993 | 1.8% |
Bill Clinton | 1993–2001 | 4% |
George W. Bush | 2001–2009 | 2.4% |
Barack Obama | 2009–2017 | 2.3% |
Donald Trump | 2017–2021 | 2.3% |
Joe Biden | 2021– | 2.2% |
Barack Obama (2009–2017)
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate: 2.3%
President Barack Obama had an average annual GDP growth rate of 2.3%. Obama ended the 2008 recession he inherited with the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), an $831 billion stimulus package passed by Congress aimed at cutting taxes, extending unemployment benefits, and improving infrastructure and education.44 However, Obama is the president who added the most to national debt, in dollar amounts, with his recession relief measures.34
Still, Obama bailed out the auto industry in the U.S. and created 11.3 million new jobs during his two terms. Inflation and interest rates also remained low.45 He also ended the Iraq War and reduced troops in Afghanistan.4647 Obama’s economic policies, now known as
Obamanomics, were controversial at the time, and his role in ending
the 2008 recession is still debated today.
Donald Trump (2017–2020)
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate: 2.3%
President
Donald Trump had an average annual GDP growth rate of 2.3%. While there were no major wars or recessions during Trump’s presidency, he did face the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, his last year in office. Trump increased spending and cut taxes, while the Fed raised interest rates in response to Trump’s expansionary fiscal policies.4849
Trump placed import taxes on products from China, particularly steel and aluminum, to boost sales of American-made products. However, it hurt the sales of American exports instead, as China responded by placing tariffs on products it imported from the U.S. It also increased costs for American consumers.50
The economy went into recession with the onset of the COVID-19 public health crisis in March 2020 as businesses closed down and Americans sheltered in place. The recession was short but severe, and the Trump administration responded by declaring a state of emergency and passing a $2 trillion stimulus package called the
CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. The CARES Act provided relief for businesses and individuals through stimulus payments and a pause on student loan payments, among other measures, but it was not enough to pull the economy out of the pandemic-induced recession.49
Joe Biden (2021–)
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate: 2.2%
President Joe Biden has had an annual GDP growth rate of 2.2% so far. Biden took office in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and signed the
American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, which was a $1.9 trillion stimulus package to provide economic relief from the pandemic.51
While the recession caused by the pandemic was severe, it was short-lived. However, it was followed by record-high inflation, partly due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused soaring gas in 2022, supply chain snarls, higher demand for goods, and increased consumer spending from federal stimulus checks.5253 The Federal Reserve responded by raising interest rates
11 times since March 2022 in an attempt to cool inflation.54 In July 2024, inflation cooled to 2.9%, and the Fed signaled a potential rate cut.
Comprehensive economic data will be available in a few years for Biden’s presidency.