During an interview with ABC News, President Donald Trump falsely claimed he had warned during his 2024 campaign that tariffs would necessitate a 'transition period' for Americans, although no evidence supports this claim. Throughout his campaign, Trump consistently portrayed tariffs in a positive light, promising they would enrich Americans without imposing costs on them, contrary to his recent statements. A CNN review of Trump's remarks found no mention of such warnings during his campaign, and even the White House could not substantiate his claim. Trump's campaign promises included rapid economic improvements and reductions in inflation, asserting that tariffs would not harm American consumers. Despite criticism, Trump maintained that tariffs would have a positive economic impact, while his ally Elon Musk suggested temporary hardships would be necessary for long-term prosperity, a sentiment Trump did not echo during his campaign.

President Trump, in an ABC News interview, falsely asserted that he had warned about a 'transition period' due to tariffs during his 2024 campaign, a claim unsupported by his campaign rhetoric or any available evidence.

CNN's comprehensive review of Trump's public comments found no instances of him mentioning a 'transition period' or suggesting that tariffs would impose costs on Americans during his campaign.

Despite Trump's recent claims, his campaign consistently promised that tariffs would make Americans wealthy, reduce inflation, and not burden consumers, emphasizing rapid economic improvement.

The White House, when asked for evidence of Trump's claimed campaign warnings, could only provide a post-election comment where Trump mentioned the possibility of consumers paying more, which contradicted his campaign promises.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump spoke positively about tariffs' economic effects, claiming they would not create inflation but combat it, despite economists warning of potential price increases.

Elon Musk, a key Trump ally, acknowledged potential temporary economic hardships due to proposed federal spending cuts, aiming for long-term prosperity, a viewpoint Trump did not express in his campaign.

Trump's portrayal of tariffs as beneficial and cost-free to Americans starkly contrasts with his recent attempts to rewrite his campaign narrative regarding the economic impact of tariffs.