White House economic director downplays economic anxiety amid higher prices [View all]

Source: ABC News

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett painted a rosy picture of the economy Sunday, downplaying Americans' growing pessimism about the economy amid high gas prices and rising inflation as the Iran war goes on.

"Look at what's happening to real wages," Hassett told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl, claiming "really positive news" about the economy was being ignored. "On balance, real incomes, real wages are going up."

The latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that wages did not increase at the same pace as inflation in April; wages were up 3.6% for the year and inflation was up 3.8%.

In two recent surveys, Americans' view of the U.S. economy soured.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/white-house-economic-director-downplays-143535360.html