Joe Biden Says Economy ‘Strong as Hell’ During Trip for Ice Cream

President Joe Biden boasted the economy under his presidency was “strong as hell” during a Saturday campaign trip to Portland, Oregon.

“Our economy is strong as hell — the internals of it,” Biden said to reporters during a Baskin-Robbins ice cream stop in Portland.

The president signaled his optimism about the economy as he ate his ice cream cone, despite punishing inflation, higher gas prices, and a recession.

Biden acknowledged there was inflation, but falsely claimed that it was worse everywhere else in the world.

 

“Inflation is worldwide,” he said. “It’s worse off everywhere else than it is in the United States.”

A Pew Research Center analysis in June showed that inflation in the United States is worse than in many major countries around the world, including Germany, Canada, France, Mexico, and China.

When asked about whether he was concerned about the strength of the dollar, Biden was also dismissive.

“I’m not concerned about the strength of the dollar. I’m concerned about the rest of the world,” he said. “Does that make sense?”

He blamed other countries for not having good enough economic policies to improve their economies.

“The problem is the lack of economic growth and sound policy in other countries, not so much ours,” he said. “And that’s having, it’s worldwide inflation, and it’s consequential.”

Biden was in Portland, Oregon to campaign with Tina Kotek, a Democrat candidate for governor who is in danger of losing to a Republican.

“I think she’s going to win,” Biden said to reporters when asked about the race. “I really do. I think people are going to show up and vote.”