The Damage of ‘Trump Math’ Is Adding Up | NYT Opinion
Video authors/creators: Binyamin Appelbaum and James Robinson
May 15, 2026: "The federal government is, by far, the world’s most important source of data, a fount of statistical information on a wide range of subjects touching almost every aspect of human life. President Trump is trying to break the fountain. This video tells the story of the Trump administration’s war on data — and the consequences for all of us."
This video shows how the Trump administration is destroying essential medical, economic, and social/physical science data banks.
"Accurate and well-reported data is an essential element of a well-functioning democracy. The true victim in the war on numbers isn’t just the data; it’s you."
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT & VIDEO GIFS
NARRATOR: Authoritarian regimes impose their authority by insisting that people believe things that are obviously not true. The point is that the regime is more powerful than the truth. By going after the data and inventing his own narrative, Trump is following a familiar pattern.
STEP 1: CONTROL/ ALT/ DELETE
NARRATOR: Almost immediately after his inauguration, Trump’s mass deletion campaign began. The government’s 13 core statistical agencies were stymied, losing over 20 percent of their staff, and entire data sets were discontinued. [....]
[See more under the cut.]
STEP 2: PUNISH THE TRUTH TELLERS
NARRATOR: The Trump administration’s deletion campaign has extended beyond removing data sets. He’s also gone after those who report findings he doesn’t like. [....]
STEP 3: MAKE #$o% UP
NARRATOR: By deleting data and punishing the number makers, Trump has cleared the way for his own sort of magic, Trump math, where numbers suddenly fit his political agenda.
NARRATOR: At times the claims are just bizarre, like when Trump claimed he would lower drug prices by
TRUMP: “1,000 percent, 600 percent, numbers that are not even thought to be achievable.” [....]
NARRATOR: Trump wants us to believe his lies, even when they contradict what’s right in front of us.
TRUMP: “Inflation is totally neutralized.” “Prices are way down.” “Grocery prices, energy prices, airfares, mortgage rates, rent and car payments are all coming down, and they’re coming down fast.”
NARRATOR: He’s insisting that these problems are not real and therefore that the government doesn’t need to address them. [....]
This is the opposite of what governments are supposed to do. [....]
NARRATOR: Imagine what could happen if we allow this to continue in the U.S.
Imagine being told that hunger is at an all-time low when lines in your neighborhood go around the block as people line up for food.
NARRATOR: Imagine not being able to access a medication you need because the government withheld the data that showed its effectiveness.
Imagine election officials facing criminal prosecution for announcing the correct results.
NARRATOR: Accurate and well-reported data is an essential element of a well-functioning democracy.
The true victim in the war on numbers isn’t just the data; it’s you.
