In a shocking and baffling moment on live television, MAGA Republican Nicole Malliotakis attempted to shift blame for a potential recession onto President Joe Biden—even as Donald Trump’s own economic policies push the country towards economic downturn. The absurd exchange took place during an interview with CNN’s Kate Bolduan, leaving viewers stunned by the blatant attempt to rewrite reality.
Bolduan opened the segment by highlighting the concerns surrounding Trump’s proposed tariffs, particularly the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which economists warn could lead to skyrocketing consumer prices and a destabilized stock market. Noting that Trump himself admitted he could not guarantee a recession would be avoided, Bolduan asked Malliotakis whether the economic risk was worth taking.
Rather than acknowledging the dangers of Trump’s policies, Malliotakis launched into a misleading attack on Biden, claiming, “Well, there’s been talk about a recession for well over the past year. This is something that has been a threat going back to the Biden administration. We were anticipating some type of recession and slow, slow growth.”
This statement is, of course, a blatant distortion of economic reality. The Biden administration successfully steered the U.S. economy out of the devastation left by Trump’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Biden, job growth surged, wages increased, and inflation—while a global issue—was brought under control.
Malliotakis went on to blame Biden’s “inflationary spending” and energy policies for the supposed economic decline, despite overwhelming evidence that the economy has performed well under his leadership. In response, Bolduan pointed out that the recession experts now fear would be caused by Trump’s policies—not Biden’s.
Refusing to back down, Malliotakis doubled down on her false claims, arguing, “You can’t disregard the damage that the Biden administration did to our economy with their regulations, with their inflationary spending, with the… The… The interest rates that have skyrocketed because of his policies.”
In reality, the Federal Reserve sets interest rates, and inflation—a global phenomenon caused largely by supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine—has been steadily decreasing under Biden. Meanwhile, Trump’s proposed tariffs threaten to unravel that progress by raising prices on goods Americans rely on daily.
The CNN interview underscored a familiar pattern in Republican politics: when faced with the consequences of their own failed economic policies, they deflect, distort, and deceive. The GOP’s economic track record is clear—Democrats work to strengthen the economy, and Republicans wreck it while funneling wealth to the richest Americans.
The real solution to preventing a recession is simple: Trump must rescind his reckless tariffs before they inflict even more damage. But Malliotakis, like many in the MAGA movement, refuses to acknowledge reality for fear of crossing Trump and facing political backlash.
Enough is enough. Time and again, Republican leadership has proven disastrous for the economy. It’s time the American people see through the lies and demand better governance that prioritizes working families over the ultra-wealthy and corporate interests.
