Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, disputed Fox News polling on air, arguing the surveys over-sample Democrats and understate Republican views of the economy. He pointed to strong GDP growth, low weekly unemployment claims, and falling drug prices as evidence the economy is healthier than some polls suggest. Independent data show Q2 growth at an annualized 1.5%, unemployment claims remaining low, and consumer prices up 3.4% year-over-year. Affordability concerns — especially on grocery and drug costs — remain politically significant ahead of the midterms.
White House Economist Kevin Hassett Slams Fox News Polls as 'Skewed' in On-Air Exchange
Peter Doocy interviewing Kevin Hassett (Fox News)
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, publicly challenged the credibility of recent Fox News polling during an on-air interview with "The Sunday Briefing" host Peter Doocy.
Doocy opened the segment by citing a Fox News survey that found just 23% of U.S. voters described the economy as “excellent or good,” only 12% said they were “getting ahead” financially, and 62% called grocery prices a “major problem.” Asked whether those results worried the Trump White House, Hassett disputed the poll's balance and methodology.
“Polls, over and over again, harm impressions about the economy because they poll way too many Democrats,” Hassett said. “The Democrats in the Michigan survey are saying that we got the worst economy since the Great Depression because they hate President Trump. Republicans are basically seeing what we see, which is a very strong economy with low inflation…What they want to do is talk about these jimmied polls. I'm not convinced at all.”
Doocy pushed back, joking “No far-left media here, Kevin!” before Hassett continued to press his economic case: “Why don't you put up some facts? What do you think about the 5% GDP growth? What do you think about the unemployment insurance claims lowest ever? What do you think about drug prices' biggest decline in 64 years?”
How The Data Lines Up
Independent figures paint a more mixed short-term picture. The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, according to reporting based on official data. Weekly unemployment insurance claims have remained historically low, generally in the 200,000–230,000 range. The Trump administration has cited declines in drug prices, but reporting from PBS notes that experts attribute much of that decrease to increased market competition and a Biden-era law allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies.
Affordability remains a top concern heading into the midterm elections. Hassett later told Doocy he had seen hamburger prices drop roughly $2 at his local store, but Bureau of Labor Statistics data show beef prices were up 7.9% year-over-year in August and overall consumer prices were 3.4% higher than a year earlier.
Why It Matters
The exchange highlights how White House officials and media outlets can sharply disagree not only on interpretation of data but also on whether polls accurately reflect public sentiment. With inflation and grocery costs voter priorities, disagreements over polling methodology and economic messaging carry real political weight ahead of the midterms.
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