Trump blames predecessor as US economy hit by tariff policies

Former President Trump sparked controversy by linking the U.S. economic downturn during his first months in office to outgoing President Joe Biden's policies, despite tariffs causing widespread disruption. The economy shrank 0.3% in Q1 2024—its rare dip since 2020—but showed a recovery with 2.4% growth in Q4. Analysts caution that tariffs could lead to higher costs and ongoing economic challenges.