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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now # Fact-checking Trump’s News of the Week video with Kayleigh McEnany * National ![\\"Manuela](\\" By Manuela Tobias August 8, 2017 As a way to go around independent news reporting, President Donald Trump’s campaign introduced a \"real news\" weekly Facebook video hosted by former CNN pundit Kayleigh McEnany. Introduced as \"the news of the week from Trump Tower,\" McEnany’s first 90-second video touted success on the economy, immigration and veterans’ affairs. The accuracy of her talking points was mixed. Economic achievements McEnany first discussed \"great economic news,\" such as \"better-than- expected 209,000 new jobs.\" That number is correct. The July Bureau of Labor Statistics report reported 209,000 new jobs, which surpassed the average for this year of 184,000. But the administration has yet to surpass the 2016 average of 187,000 jobs per month. McEnany then credited Trump with the creation of 1 million new jobs. As we\'ve said many times, presidents often receive too much credit or too much blame about job statistics. But on the numbers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics placed the jobs created during Trump’s first six months at 1.07 million. That\'s compared to 1.08 million jobs created during Obama’s last six months. \"The unemployment rate is at a 16-year low, and consumer confidence is at a 16-year high — all while the Dow Jones continues to break records,\" McEnany said. \"President Trump has clearly steered the economy back in the right direction.\" At 4.3 percent, the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in 16 years, but it’s not quite a record. The unemployment rate was also 4.3 percent in May before it bumped up to 4.4 percent in June. And the job-gains figure, an equally important statistic in the monthly jobs report, is not unprecedented. Consumer confidence at a 16-year high is a trickier figure to measure, as there are multiple sources that have come to different conclusions. The Conference Board, a business research group, reported consumer confidence rose in July, hitting the highest level since July 2001. The University of Michigan showed a peak in consumer sentiment during Trump’s tenure in January 2017, but that still wasn’t higher than confidence in January 2004. The polling firm Gallup obtained similar results, with confidence peaking under Trump but falling during his time in office. We rated Trump’s slightly different statement, claiming business spirit was at a record high, Mostly False. And as we said before, confidence doesn’t always equate economic activity, as consumer and business confidence fluctuates and isn’t tethered to economic results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, on the other hand, hit a record high and has climbed since the day the video was posted. It is now on track for its 10th straight day record close, the longest streak since February. But the peak is owed to rises in large tech and financial stocks, which aren’t indicative of the entire market. \"The market is not as healthy as it looks. A rising tide is only lifting the biggest boats,\" David Lafferty, chief market strategist for Natixis Global Asset Management, told CNN Money. While economic indicators are positive overall, it’s misleading to credit Trump for everything. Without major economic legislation in effect, he isn’t directly responsible for the jobs figures or economic growth, but his rhetoric and market expectations likely have an important effect on them. Share the Facts 2017-08-08 18:55:28 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" logo-big.jpg\\"/) -1 -1 -1 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" ratings-43837967-9c3c-4713-99ab-d2f71fe3d09c\\") PolitiFact Rating: Spinning who gets credit \"The unemployment rate is at a 16-year low, and consumer confidence is at a 16-year high — all while the Dow Jones continues to break records. President Trump has clearly steered the economy back in the right direction.\" Kayleigh McEnany RNC spokeswoman ![](\\" in a video Sunday, August 6, 2017 2017-08-06 Read More info Immigration McEnany went on to discuss the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy (RAISE) Act, a bill that would introduce a skills-based points system to evaluate immigration as well as halve the number of immigrants. \"For decades, a steady rise in immigration has depressed the wages of American workers,\" McEnany said. \"The RAISE Act will increase wages, decrease poverty and save the taxpayers billions. Americans deserve a raise, and President Trump is finally putting the American worker first.\" She presents the effects of the RAISE Act as fact, but the impact of low- skilled immigrants on native-born wages has actually been highly contested among economists for decades. Even economists who found the impact to be negative denied that capping immigration would provide a clean solution. \"If anyone — even someone claiming to be an economic expert — tells you that the science is settled and that economics implies that the correct number of immigrants is x, that so-called expert is flat-out lying,\" wrote George J. Borjas, a labor economist at Harvard who favors the RAISE Act, in Politico Magazine. The controversial proposal is also still far from becoming law. It would take 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate and get the bill to an up-or- down vote. Share the Facts 2017-08-08 18:58:10 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" logo-big.jpg\\"/) -1 -1 -1 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" ratings-a8ddae48-2d0e-40da-ae51-fab568525de3\\") PolitiFact Rating: Not proven \"For decades, a steady rise in immigration has depressed the wages of American workers.\" Kayleigh McEnany RNC spokeswoman ![](\\" in a video Sunday, August 6, 2017 2017-08-06 Read More info Veterans Affairs McEnany closed the segment discussing Trump’s first awarding of a medal of honor. \"Also on Wednesday, President Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to one of our Vietnam War heroes: Specialist 5 James McCloughan. McCloughan risked his life on nine separate occasions, saving many of his wounded peers,\" McEnany said. \"President Trump also honored veterans as a whole with yet another V.A. reform package that will enable millions of veterans to receive better access to care.\" The reform package McEnany was talking about, according to former Press Secretary Sean Spicer, is the recent launch of a smartphone app that allows veterans in the health system to set up appointments. The VA also plans to roll out existing technology that allows doctors to treat patients remotely nationwide. The changes did not require congressional approval. Trump also signed into law a modest VA reform bill back in June that facilitated the removal of bad employees and whistle blowing. **Clarification:** The McEnany video was produced by Trump\'s campaign. An earlier version of this story was unclear on this point. Also, we added additional details from Spicer to clarify that McEnany was referring to a VA smartphone app in her comments about a reform package. Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter ### Our Sources Facebook, Trump News of the Week, Aug. 6, 2017 BLS.gov, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Aug. 8, 2017 PolitiFact, \"Is Donald Trump right that U.S. just \'had the best jobs report in 16 years\'?\" July 25, 2017 University of Michigan, Surveys of consumers, July 2017 PolitiFact, Donald Trump says \'business spirit\' is highest it\'s ever been, but proof is lacking, July 31, 2017 CNN Money, \"Raging bull: 9 records in a row for the Dow,\" Aug. 9, 2017 Market Watch, \"Dow on track for 10th straight record as bank stocks climb,\" Aug. 8, 2017 PolitiFact, \"Trump hints stock market record high linked to optimism about his presidency,\" Feb. 16, 2017 PolitiFact, \"Trump, Republican senators present bill to reform legal immigration,\" Aug. 2, 2017 PolitiFact, \"Do low-skilled immigrants negatively impact wages of Americans?\" Aug. 8, 2017 Politico Magazine, \"Why Trump’s New Immigration Bill Makes Sense,\" Aug. 4, 2017 Washington Examiner, \"Marco Rubio: Trump\'s immigration bill is \'not going to pass\' the Senate,\" Aug. 7, 2017 WhiteHouse.gov, Remarks by President Trump at Signing of the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, June 23, 2017 New York Times, \"Trump Signs Bill Meant to Restore Trust in V.A.,\" June 23, 2017 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Manuela Tobias ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") TheLastLineOfDefense.org stated on January 12, 2019 in a post on Facebook: \"Nancy Pelosi Removed From Benefit for ‘Being So Drunk She Couldn’t Stand Up’ \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 23, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on January 19, 2019 in In a blog post: \"Pelosi’s Secret Overseas Mission Included 93 Family Members\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 23, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on January 8, 2019 in a televised speech: Says Sen. Charles Schumer \"repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • January 9, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on January 8, 2019 in a televised speech: \"At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • January 9, 2019 ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Swalwell stated on November 12, 2018 in a tweet: \"15,000 troops will not see their families for #Thanksgiving because of @realDonaldTrump’s Scaravan Stunt. Oh yeah, it’s also costing you 200 million dollars.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on November 12, 2018 in in a tweet: \"Nearly 200,000 Florida voters may not be citizens.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Amy Sherman • November 13, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party stated on November 1, 2018 in a Facebook ad: \"Attention hunters: Voting in North Dakota could cost you your out-of-state hunting licenses.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • November 2, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on October 26, 2018 in a campaign rally: \"The Democrat plan would just obliterate Medicare and terminate Medicare Advantage ... seniors who have been paying for this for years (and) will not be taken care of anymore.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • November 2, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kevin Cramer stated on October 26, 2018 in U.S. Senate debate: \"Protections on pre-existing conditions have been there since the 1970s.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • November 1, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on October 24, 2018 in a digital ad: \"We know dangerous criminals can slip through immigration at airports just like ours. Yet Joe Donnelly stood right here with the radical left against all efforts to secure our most vulnerable entry points.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Manuela Tobias • October 26, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Future45 stated on October 16, 2018 in a campaign ad: Voting for \"any Democrat\" gets you \"socialism ... undefended open borders ... immediate tax increases ... 100 percent government-run health care ...\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 24, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kevin Cramer stated on October 18, 2018 in North Dakota Senate debate: \"The standard of voting in North Dakota is the easiest in the country.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Senate Leadership Fund stated on October 11, 2018 in a campaign ad: \"Washington Heidi supports sanctuary cities, where illegal immigrants can be released on our streets, like this criminal, who was let go and then sexually assaulted a child.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 19, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 9, 2018 in blog post: \"Indiana has purged no less than 20,000 voters in violation of a federal court order.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Taxpayers Union stated on October 10, 2018 in Washington Examiner op-ed: \"The latest round of tariffs now means that the total tax increase on Americans from enacted tariffs exceeds the tax increases from the Affordable Care Act.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Manuela Tobias • October 12, 2018 ### Fact-checking Trump’s News of the Week video with Kayleigh McEnany * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on August 22, 2024 in an Instagram post: Maxine Waters told her followers on X not to follow Omar Navarro because he is a “Hispanic Republican.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Sam Brown stated on August 9, 2024 in an X post: Jacky Rosen “said ending taxes on tips would ‘hurt working Nevada families.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Seth A. Richardson • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Bryan Steil stated on April 28, 2024 in TV interview: Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin \"believes taxpayer dollars should be used for abortion.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Ricardo Torres • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Elissa Slotkin stated on August 9, 2024 in Meta ad: Mike Rogers “left Michigan to trade on his D.C. connections, helping Chinese tech companies get access to the U.S.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Caleb McCullough • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2024 in a Truth Social post: “The Harris-Biden Administration has been caught fraudulently manipulating Job Statistics.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Louis Jacobson • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on August 18, 2024 in X posts: Pallets of bricks were left all over the streets of Chicago before the Democratic National Convention. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Hovde stated on August 13, 2024 in Public appearance: Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” about the fentanyl crisis. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on August 19, 2024 in in social media posts: Videos show Kamala Harris intoxicated. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: Video shows former President Donald Trump thought he was in North Carolina while he spoke in Pennsylvania. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Threads posts stated on August 19, 2024 in Threads posts: The Democratic National Convention was “nearly empty” during its first day. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • August 22, 2024 Load more #### Offices District of Columbia 1800 I Street NW Washington, DC 20006 Florida 801 3rd St. S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-821-9494 #### People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis #### State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin #### About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters #### RSS Feeds * Recent Articles and Fact-checks * Recent Fact-checks Suggest a Fact-check #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Copyright ©All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ![\\"\\"](\\" * * * ✕
The unemployment rate is at a 16year low and consumer confidence is at a 16year high all while the Dow Jones continues to break records President Trump has clearly steered the economy back in the right direction