Tyler Schipper, associate professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with CNN about why neither President Donald Trump nor former President Joe Biden is solely responsible for the affordability challenges facing Americans. Schipper noted that broader market forces, global disruptions, and long-term structural issues play a far greater role in shaping prices than the policies of any single administration.
From the article:
President Donald Trump is blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the affordability concerns that are roiling the U.S. economy – and politics. Many voters, meanwhile, are blaming Trump for their financial woes.
Both sides might be wrong. ...
“For better or worse, presidents are held responsible for the economy,” said Tyler Schipper, professor of economics at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. “But many factors of the business cycle and inflation are outside the control of the president.”
The blame game
Of course, presidents – whether Democrat or Republican – don’t want to appear powerless about important voter issues, like the economy or affordability. So sometimes, the easiest solution is to put the blame on something or someone else.
During his term, Biden said the problems associated with inflation were temporary – a result of pandemic-related supply chain issues, the fault of Russia invading Ukraine or greedy oil companies.
Now in 2025, Trump is simply blaming Biden.
