Harvard economist says Trump inflation report leaves 'no other way to spin it' but good news

A Harvard economist said the latest inflation report delivered unexpectedly strong results, calling it "positive news" with virtually no negative spin to it.

"There's no other way to spin it," Ken Rogoff told "CNN's News Central" on Thursday.

The stronger-than-expected report arrives as the White House faces continued scrutiny over the pace of the economic recovery. On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that inflation eased to 2.7% in November 2025, down from 3% in September 2025.

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During a primetime address on Wednesday, Trump addressed economic concerns and criticized his predecessor's handling of the issue. The president argued his administration turned the economy around after inheriting significant challenges from the Biden administration.

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"Here at home, we're bringing our economy back from the brink of ruin," Trump said.

"The last administration and their allies in Congress looted our Treasury for trillions of dollars, driving up prices and everything at levels never seen before. I am bringing those high prices down and bringing them down very fast," he added.

On CNN, Rogoff said the drop in inflation was larger than many economists anticipated.

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"I was surprised, it was a better number than anyone was expecting. Look, inflation's been very high. It's stayed high. It has not been coming down," he said. 

"People were expecting it to be above 3%. It was well below 3%. I mean, I think the president will take this as good news. The investors will think that interest rates [will] get cut more," Rogoff said.

During his address, Trump also announced "Warrior Dividends," stipends that will be sent to all active-duty military members in honor of the nation's 250th anniversary. 

Despite the encouraging inflation data, signs of economic strain remain. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November 2025, its highest level since 2021.