Hassett tells CNN that unhappiness with the economy would show in data, calls Michigan poll bad
On CNN's State of the Union, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said that if people were unhappy with the economy it would show up in hard data, and dismissed the University of Michigan sentiment poll. Two left-leaning outlets covered the exchange critically.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, appeared on CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper on Sunday 4 October 2026. The IndependentLC “Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council in the White House, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper on Sunday.” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL “Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, joined CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1Asked by Tapper whether people are wrong to think the economy is not good, Hassett pointed to the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, said Republicans rate the economy as great while Democrats and independents rate it as the worst since the Great Depression, and called it "a bad poll". The IndependentLC ““And so it's saying that people are really unhappy, but I just think it's a bad poll,” he said.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1He added, "if people were unhappy, it'd show up in the data"; Tapper replied that it "seems to be showing up in the data, just not the data you're looking at". The IndependentLC ““It seems to be showing up in the data, just not the data you’re looking at,” Tapper responded.” Read at The Independent ↗
Left · 1The Independent reported that the Michigan survey showed consumer sentiment falling four points in September, with Republican sentiment 20 percentage points lower than in January and Democratic sentiment 13 points lower. The IndependentLC “consumer sentiment declined by four points, with Republican sentiment now 20 percentage points lower than in January of this year and Democratic consumer sentiment dropped 13 percentage points” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1The interview came two days after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 29,000 jobs in September, 60,000 fewer than expected; when Hassett said "that's just last month", Tapper noted that July and August figures had been revised down by 60,000 jobs. The IndependentLC “the U.S. economy added only 29,000 jobs in September, which was 60,000 fewer than expected.”“the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised down the July and August jobs reports by 60,000 jobs” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1On mortgage rates, which Trump said in 2024 he could bring to three percent and which have risen to seven percent, Hassett said Trump "hasn't failed to deliver at all" and that "the economy is booming", citing increased housing starts and permits over the summer; he acknowledged mortgage rates "have to come down" as inflation falls to one or two percent. The IndependentLC ““President Trump hasn't failed to deliver at all,” Hassett said. “The economy is booming”““Absolutely true, mortgage rates have to come down, and as we get inflation down to one, two percent” Read at The Independent ↗
Left · 1Hassett said the hard data are "radically inconsistent with the polls", which he said have been wrong about every election he can remember. The IndependentLC ““The hard data are radically inconsistent with the polls,” he said.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Raw Story reported that Hassett described Americans as "optimistic" about their economic future, citing their spending, and that the interview left critics, who reacted on social media, unimpressed. It said the midterm elections are about a month away and voters list the cost of living and the economy among their top issues. Raw StoryL “Hassett claimed during the interview that Americans seem "optimistic" about their economic future, citing their spending levels.”“voters have said the cost of living and the economy are two of their top issues as the election approaches” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1The Independent said polling shows Democrats with a significant advantage going into the midterms, largely because of dissatisfaction over the war in Iran, which it said has pushed up gas prices; it also noted Hassett got a friendlier reception from Larry Kudlow on Fox News, who praised manufacturing job growth. The IndependentLC “polling shows Democrats with a significant advantage going into next month’s midterm elections, largely due to dissatisfaction over the war in Iran, which has caused gas prices to spike.”“Hassett would receive a much more favorable audience on Fox News with Larry Kudlow” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the interview as a poor performance by Hassett. The Independent leads with his remark as baffling and contradicted by data; Raw Story leads with social-media ridicule.
- Emphasis
- The Independent stresses survey and jobs figures against Hassett's claims; Raw Story stresses critics' reactions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives much space to Hassett's housing-starts and manufacturing arguments beyond brief mentions; Raw Story gives few specifics from the interview. No centre or right outlets covered it.
- Charged language
- “bafflingly”“faceplanting”“puzzling claims”“ridiculed”
- For example
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“Trump economic adviser bafflingly says ‘if people were unhappy, it’d show up in the data’” — The Independent
“'Wow, that was bad': Trump's top economic advisor ridiculed after faceplanting on CNN” — Raw Story
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Hassett was interviewed by Jake Tapper on CNN's State of the Union on 4 October 2026.
- Hassett defended the administration's economic record and Trump's record on mortgage rates.
- The interview took place about a month before the 2026 midterm elections.
Where accounts differ
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Whether public sentiment shows Americans are unhappy with the economy
- Left
- The Independent says economic data, including the Michigan survey, shows Americans are dissatisfied; Raw Story says Hassett made 'puzzling claims'. Hassett says hard data contradicts polls and calls the Michigan poll bad.
Kevin Hassett person
Says the economy is booming, that hard data contradicts polls, and that the Michigan survey is a bad poll.
““The economy is booming, and what you have to do is you have to look at the whole picture.”” — The Independent
Donald Trump person
His 2024 pledge to cut mortgage rates to three percent is cited by Tapper; Hassett says Trump has not failed to deliver.
““President Trump hasn't failed to deliver at all,” Hassett said.” — The Independent
Left2 articles
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Trump economic adviser bafflingly says ‘if people were unhappy, it’d show up in the data’
Critical Presents Hassett's remarks as contradicted by survey and jobs data, with context on the midterms and Iran war.
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'Wow, that was bad': Trump's top economic advisor ridiculed after faceplanting on CNN
Critical Frames the interview as a failure and relays mocking social-media reactions.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 4 Oct 17:08 First The IndependentLC Trump economic adviser bafflingly says ‘if people were unhappy, it’d show up in the data’
- 4 Oct 21:18 +4h 9m Raw StoryL 'Wow, that was bad': Trump's top economic advisor ridiculed after faceplanting on CNN
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.