California State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has publicly criticized former President Donald Trump's economic rhetoric, specifically highlighting what he describes as mathematically impossible claims. In a recent social media post, Wiener asserted that the core issue is not merely Trump's understanding of mathematics, but rather the "political movement & media ecosystem that encourage it." The tweet specifically referenced a concept of "cut prices by more than 100%," framing it as an example of economic illiteracy.
"The core problem isn’t that Trump can’t do math & doesn’t understand what it means to “cut prices” by more than 100% — rather, it’s that there are people who actually believe this can be true & an entire political movement & media ecosystem that encourage it," Senator Wiener stated in his tweet.
Economists have previously raised concerns about the mathematical accuracy of various economic proposals and statements made by Donald Trump. Notably, his administration's tariff formulas faced widespread criticism for flawed assumptions and inflated impact projections. Experts from institutions like the American Enterprise Institute found a mathematical error in the tariff formula that could inflate the impact by as much as four times, due to an incorrect elasticity value.
Further critiques have emerged regarding Trump's broader economic promises. The idea of replacing income taxes with tariff revenue, for instance, has been deemed "mathematically impossible" by economists from the Tax Foundation. Such instances underscore a pattern of economic claims that have been challenged for lacking a sound mathematical or theoretical basis.
Senator Wiener, a Democrat representing California's 11th district, has a background in law and is known for his advocacy on progressive issues, including housing affordability and civil rights. His recent commentary aligns with a broader concern among some political figures and economists about the factual integrity of economic discourse in the public sphere.
The senator's remarks draw attention to the role of both political movements and media in shaping public perception of complex economic issues. The ongoing debate highlights the importance of economic literacy and critical evaluation of policy claims, especially when they involve figures that defy conventional mathematical understanding.