US President Joe Biden’s top adviser was grilled by the media on Tuesday over his narrative about recession amid the soaring prices of gas and food in the United States.
During the press conference at the White House, House National Economics Council director Brian Deese made a claim, stating that the Biden administration is cementing its narrative about recession.
“Two negative quarters of GDP growth is not the technical definition of recession. It’s not the definition that economists have traditionally relied on,” Deese said in a statement.
“There is an organization called the National Bureau of Economic Research, and what they do is they look at a broad range of data in deciding whether or not a recession has occurred.” He added.
Deese’s statement comes after the White House began claiming last week that the standard definition of a recession that states “two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth” is actually not the “technical” definition.
Following Deese’s supporting statement during the presscon, reporters pointed out the concerns over the definition of “recession.”
Reporters grill top Biden adviser over recession narrative — then Peter Doocy enters with knockout blow https://t.co/bgCk1IUQRZ
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“Why should the average American — who is really concerned about their personal economic situation, and their wages aren’t increasing as fast as inflation, they’re struggling to put food on the table, fill up their tank — why should they care if the U.S. is definitionally in a recession or not?” One reporter asked.
“I wonder if you could help us understand how much weight the White House puts on that definition versus just the simple reality that the majority of Americans right now just feel like we are living through a recession right now,” the other one added.
After that, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, who is known for confronting the Biden administration non-stop, pressed that “the president’s economic advisors were telling us last year that inflation was going to be temporary. That’s not true. Now the president’s economic advisors are saying there’s not going to be a recession. Are you sure?”
“You don’t have to take our word on this.” Deese responded.
He then used the reporter’s question and highlighted the remarks from large banks such as Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs that bolster the administration’s narrative.
On Wednesday, Doocy also confronted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about its attempt to redefine recession.
“Why is it that White House officials are trying to redefine recession?” Doocy asked.
“No, we’re not redefining recession,” Jean-Pierre claimed.
“We all understand the recession to be two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth in a row and then you have White House officials come up here to say, that’s not what a recession is, it’s something else. How is that not redefining recession?” Doocy responded
“Because that’s not the definition. That is not the definition.” The press secretary insisted.
