Donald Trump paused mid-sentence, searched for the right word, and settled on the ‘best poverty numbers ever in the history of our country’
Freudian slip?
President Donald Trump is going viral on the internet once again, and no, it is not because of his never-ending war in Iran, nor is it because of the recent press bans or Chinese President Xi Jinping’s America tour. It is because he said something very controversial on camera. So what did he exactly say?
In a social media clip, Trump, while interacting with the press, can be seen discussing America’s poverty levels. He said, “We have the best, I guess you can say, poverty… We have the best poverty numbers ever in the history of the country. In other words, there’s less poverty now than at any time in the history of our country.”
Taken in full, Trump’s comments on poverty make sense, as he appears to be explaining that poverty levels have decreased significantly. However, many people pointed to the phrasing of the first part of his comment, which can make it seem like he is bragging about the poverty levels in America.
One person in the comments mocked Trump’s confusion and wrote, “Trump: We have all the poors. The best poors. Living in cardboard boxes, eating powdered milk and tuna. Vote Republican!” Another said, “The sentence is awkward. It is grammatically strange. It sounds, at first listen, like he is praising poverty itself!” A few others raised similar concerns.
Has poverty in the United States really reduced?
According to a Reuters article published September 15, 2026, the Census Bureau reported that poverty rates had dipped to their lowest level in 2025, with 34.5 million people living in poverty. However, the article said median household income reached its highest level that same year.
That said, The Washington Post reported that although 2025 poverty rates looked good, 2026 may not look as promising. The article links this potential rise to major changes in the social safety net enacted by Congress in 2024 through a significant tax and spending bill, which are only now fully taking effect.
The Washington Post reports that experts anticipate next year’s census will reveal a significant rise in poverty, primarily driven by reductions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Megan Curran, a poverty expert at Columbia University, offered some insight on the matter, saying, “The nature of an annual statistic might mask some of the volatility that families already started to experience.” She added, “We know the reality on the ground is going to be looking quite different from what the numbers were.”
Speaking about SNAP, Curran said, “This was the situation that families were in on the eve of the full implementation of these major changes to the safety net.” She added, however, that it does not reflect what life is like for families relying on SNAP and similar programs in September 2026.
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