10: What the Numbers Say (and Miss) About Trump’s Economy

A year into the second Trump administration, what does the latest data tell us about the U.S. economy, which the president touted in a primetime address last month? And what can the numbers tell us, given changes in how economic data is collected following the government shutdown? John W. Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy and host of “The Two-Handed Economist,” joined the podcast to discuss the latest on inflation and the labor market, the impact of tariffs, and what consumers and investors can expect in 2026. This conversation was recorded on Dec. 16, 2025. Featured: John W. Diamond, Ph.D. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. Learn more about Diamond’s podcast here.   You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.