The White House Says the U.S. Is in a ‘Period of Transition’ as the Market Tumbles

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted to reporters that the president’s approach on tariffs would ultimately pay off for the U.S. economy.

Karoline Leavitt

Evan Vucci/AP

The White House defended the state of the economy on Tuesday, saying the U.S. is in a “period of transition” — a far cry from the promises President Donald Trump made on the campaign trail that he would bring down inflation and make America affordable again on “day one.”

“We are in a period of transition from the mess that was created under Joe Biden in the previous administration,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing. “Joe Biden left this country in an economic disaster.”

Over the weekend, Trump declined to rule out the possibility of a recession on the horizon, sending fears through the global market. Now his administration is faced with an early test after a steep stock market sell-off on Monday.