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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Business
Eduardo Porter

US’s Reagan-era economic promises return as Trump’s AI-fueled growth fantasy

Men in suits smile and talk
Donald Trump and the Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, listen as Dario Amodei speaks to reporters at the White House on 29 September, after meeting with top executives of AI firms. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Back through political history to the age of Ronald Reagan, Republicans have repeatedly promised the US public that tax cuts would pay for themselves, firing up economic growth and filling the government’s coffers.

The promise never really panned out. From the Gipper’s day on, the Republicans’ tax cuts inevitably increased the budget deficit. Despite its failure, though, the promise is back, coated in a fine new layer of artificial intelligence pixie dust. It will fail again.

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