President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, on Tuesday. Evan Vucci/AP/File
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he has secured “$17 trillion” in investment this year – or even more than that.
“We have over $17 trillion being invested now in the United States,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. He added moments later, “We have more than $17 trillion in eight months.” On Friday, he said he thought the figure had “just cracked $18 trillion.”
But even the $17 trillion figure is fictional.
Trump’s own White House website values the “major investment announcements” this term at “$8.8 trillion,” around half the “$17 trillion” and “$18 trillion” numbers Trump used out loud this week. And an item-by-item CNN review of the top 10 items o