On Good Morning America, Donald Trump Gets Away With Promoting Right-Wing Media's Phony Unemployment Figures

Written by Media Matters Staff

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On the November 10 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, host George Stephanopoulos allowed GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump to greatly exaggerate the nation's unemployment rate when he falsely claimed that “unemployment is probably close to 20 percent.” Trump has a history of trumpeting debunked right-wing media myths as campaign talking points. He previously claimed that the unemployment rate “might very well be” 40 percent or more, echoing Rush Limbaugh. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, October's unemployment rate stood at just five percent, the lowest rate since April 2008.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We saw last week unemployment down to five percent. This is a debate about the economy tonight. Federal reserve almost certain now to raise rates. Is that the right move?

DONALD TRUMP: It is the right move but the unemployment is not five percent. The unemployment is probably close to 20 percent. If you look at all the people out there that want to get jobs that have given up, you're talking about unemployment that's actually close to 20 percent. The world is not happy. You talked about my big crowd at the arena last night. It was in Illinois, it was unbelievable. Believe me, if real unemployment was at five percent I wouldn't have had 10,000 people at that arena last night.