Everything is fine: Trump’s Cabinet shrugs off shrinking economy

WASHINGTON – Contraction? What contraction? As far as US President Donald Trump and his Cabinet were concerned on April 30, all was well with the economy – and with everything else too.

News that the US economy unexpectedly shrank amid the chaos of Mr Trump’s tariffs did not stop his top team from heaping praise on the President at a meeting the day after

his 100th day back in power.

In a nationalistic touch, red-and-black baseball caps embroidered with the words “Gulf of America” were placed in front of each senior official around the huge wooden Cabinet table at the White House.

Billionaire Elon Musk even put one of the red hats – which use the name the administration has unilaterally decreed for the Gulf of Mexico – on top of his own signature black baseball cap.

“Everybody is outstanding,” Mr Trump said during the marathon two-hour Cabinet meeting in front of reporters. “I’ve never been so impressed.”

‘Unparalleled’

The 78-year-old began by trumpeting his core topic of migration, hailing what he said was an “amazing job” of cutting migrant crossings over the border from Mexico.

When it came to the economy, his main message was to insist on the success of his sweeping tariffs – and to blame his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for the economy contracting in the first months of the Republican’s term.

The billionaire tycoon had promised during his 2024 election campaign to boost the economy and lower inflation, but figures released on April 30 showed US gross domestic product contracted at an annual rate of 0.3 per cent in the first quarter.

“It’s a big ship to turn around, and we’re going to have the greatest country, financially, in the history of the world,” Mr Trump insisted.

He then turned to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to his left, joking that he was “my least controversial person” – despite the

growing “Signalgate” scandal

over Mr Hegseth’s use of the commercial app to discuss air strikes against Yemen.

One by one, Mr Trump’s Cabinet – which contains the most billionaires of any president’s top team – then took turns to sing the praises of their leader.

Mr Hegseth, wearing a camouflage tie, credited Mr Trump with a “recruiting renaissance” in the armed forces. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hailed “unbelievable” investment. Mr Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles said it was “100 days that’s been unparalleled in my memory, and the best, I can tell, ever”.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, widely regarded as a stabilising voice on tariffs, hailed Mr Trump’s leadership as “momentous”.

The ever-combative Vice-President J.D. Vance then launched into an attack on reporters in the room for “focusing on fake BS”.

‘Kim Jong Il-style’

On it went, with Mr Musk eventually taking his turn.

“Elon, I love the double hat,” Mr Trump said of the Tesla and SpaceX tycoon. “He’s the only one who can get away with that.”

“They say I wear a lot of hats. It’s true – even my hat has a hat,” quipped Mr Musk, who has been heading Mr Trump’s cost-cutting drive at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency in addition to running his businesses.

But it could also be one of Mr Musk’s last appearances around the Cabinet table.

He recently said

he will start to take a step back from his cost-cutting role

to focus on his Tesla electric car business, amid protests at his involvement in Mr Trump’s administration.

This time it was Mr Trump’s term to dish out praise.

“You’ve done a fantastic job,” Mr Trump said as the other Cabinet members applauded.

In a later event at the White House, Mr Trump paraded a series of business leaders who pledged to invest in the United States, including the chief executive of chipmaker Nvidia, Mr Jensen Huang.

Not everyone was impressed, though.

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter compared the gushing Cabinet meeting to North Korea. “Would it be possible to have a Cabinet meeting without the Kim Jong Il-style tributes?” Ms Coulter said on X, referring to Pyongyang’s late former leader. AFP