Spending is uneven, driven by the well-off

With anxieties building over affordability, President Trump made a push to reassure Americans just as the government released long-awaited data that raised new questions about the economic health of the nation.

Tony Romm, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, discusses how Mr. Trump is trying to take control of the issue, and Ben Cassleman, The Times’s chief economics correspondent, explains what the latest numbers tell us about why people are still so frustrated.

Guest:

• Tony Romm, a reporter in Washington covering economic policy and the Trump administration for The New York Times.
• Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Here are six takeaways from Mr. Trump’s address to the nation.
• With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year.

Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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