Which Candidate Would Handle Inflation Better? Biden or Trump?

Which presidential candidate would better address inflation, President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump? 

For Context: Throughout his administration, Biden has struggled to gain support for his economic policies, mostly due to the impact of persistent inflation and the subsequent interest rate hikes imposed by the Federal Reserve. Trump has honed in on inflation and economic frustration as a central focus of his campaign messaging.

Scrutiny of Trump: A recent report by Moody’s Analytics determined a Trump victory would accelerate inflation, estimating a rise to 3.6% inflation from the 3% experienced in 2024. Additionally, this week, 16 Nobel Prize-winning economists signed a letter warning that Trump’s policies would damage the economies of both the United States and the world. Both reports cited Trump’s proposed increased tariffs on Chinese products as a key inflationary factor.

Scrutiny of Biden: Inflation has accelerated through much of Biden's tenure. An ABC News/Ipsos poll from May suggested voters trust Trump over Biden on inflation by a margin of 14 percentage points.

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated outlets rarely covered the Moody study or letter from the economists. Left-rated outlets covered them prominently. Newsmax (Right bias) stated the Nobel letter is “part of a broader Biden campaign strategy to go on the offensive and draw clear distinctions between the Democrat incumbent and his Republican challenger.” Editor's Note: Updated to increase balance in comparing inflation under Biden and Trump.