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Presidents often get the credit and the blame for the U.S. economy largely because they implement policies that can have immediate and far-reaching effects. In our constitutional design, however, economic influence is shared: Congress holds the power of the purse, determining government spending and taxation, while the Federal Reserve controls interest rates and monetary policy. The economy itself is a complex, ever-evolving system that operates beyond the influence of any single administration. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and economist Wendy Edelberg, a senior fellow in Economic Studies, look at President Trump's latest actions—from across-the-board tariffs to aggressive downsizing of the federal workforce and programs—and examine whether new levels of uncertainty could have long-lasting economic consequences.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to podcasts@brookings.edu.