Michael Whatley Claims Inflation Down Despite Data Showing Rise

Inflation and Economic Growth Claims in North Carolina Senate Race

Michael Whatley, a Republican contender for the U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, recently stated that inflation is “way down,” despite economic statistics suggesting otherwise.

During a February 24 interview with Fox News, Whatley compared the economic performances of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden as the State of the Union address approached.

“Hundreds of thousands of jobs in the private sector are being created,” Whatley asserted. “Real wages are up year over year, inflation is way down, and GDP is growing. Our economy is starting to move again, and that’s a very important indicator for us.”

Contrary to Whatley’s claims, while inflation has slightly declined since Trump returned to office, prices continue to escalate. The most recent data indicates a 2.4% increase in prices compared to the previous year.

Similarly, the gross domestic product (GDP) has experienced growth, yet the growth rate has slowed from 2.8% in 2024 to 2.2% in 2025. Economists caution that a decelerating GDP may indicate an economy at risk of stalling and a contracting job market.

Public opinion polls reveal that inflation remains a significant concern for voters in 2026. According to a Quinnipiac poll from December 2025, 65% of participants expressed a negative outlook on the economy, with nearly half perceiving it as deteriorating.

This isn’t the first instance of Whatley presenting a potentially misleading narrative of the Trump economy. In a previous appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show, he claimed “costs are coming down,” and on the Fox News Rundown podcast, he mentioned “inflation is dramatically down.”

Whatley’s Democratic opponent in the Senate race, former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, has prioritized affordability issues in his campaign.

“I worked with the Republican General Assembly to help create 640,000 new, better-paying jobs in our state,” Cooper stated during a February 26 roundtable discussion on the economy. “I worked with them to help provide paid parental leave for state employees. I think it’s critical for a U.S. senator to put the people before politics.”