WH Declares Victory on Affordability Crisis w AI, Tech, and American Industry Boom

Summary

---

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: WH Declares Victory on Affordability Crisis w AI, Tech, and American Industry Boom
Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson
Duration: Main content approximately 14 minutes (03:37–16:46)

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben Ferguson focuses on the state of the American economy, highlighting recent job growth, increased wages, and a surge of domestic and foreign investment in key industries. The discussion centers on the Trump administration's narrative of turning around the "affordability crisis" and countering media claims that the economy is in trouble. Ferguson unpacks White House statements and offers his signature commentary, framing economic improvements as a direct result of President Trump's policies—particularly in contrast to what he describes as "Bidenflation" and prior mismanagement.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Central Role of the Economy in Politics

• "In politics, it's the economy, stupid." (06:01)
  Ferguson stresses that economic sentiment shapes American politics: if people perceive the economy as weak, those in power are blamed.

2. White House Declares Progress on Affordability Crisis

• The Trump administration is actively combatting claims that the economy is in crisis.
• White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt touts the results of Trump's policies:
  • Historic tax cuts and major trade deals are credited with energizing the economy.
  • September saw 119,000 new jobs—over double expectations, with construction jobs surging by 19,000 (07:30–08:10).
  • Jobs are going mostly to native-born citizens, countering a trend cited under the Biden administration.
  • Wages have risen 3.8% over the year, with average workers on pace to see a $1,200 real increase in pay during 2025.
    “Real wages are at a pace to increase, roughly $1,200 for the average worker this year alone under President Donald Trump.” (08:14)
• The press secretary draws a contrast with the prior administration:
  • During "Bidenflation," inflation peaked at 9%, private sector workers lost about $3,000 in take-home pay, and job gains disproportionately went to foreign-born workers (08:30–09:00).

3. Breakdown of New Economic Data

• Jobs Report:
  • 119,000 new jobs in September (delayed due to a shutdown)
  • Construction jobs are a bright spot.
  • Wages are increasing faster than inflation—rare in recent years.
  • Ferguson emphasizes this is a "massive $4,200 swing" compared to Biden’s years (11:42).
• Quote – Economic Analyst:
  • “In the first 10 months of the Trump economy... we've increased take home pay by about $1,200 adjusting for inflation. So that's a huge, huge thing, and this jobs report confirms that.” (11:02)
• J.D. Vance (Vice President):
  • Points out under Biden, job growth mainly benefited foreign-born and illegal workers.
  • Job creation under Trump administration is directed at "native-born citizens."
• Senator Bernie Moreno:
  • Blames the Biden era for the influx of 20 million illegal immigrants, calling it impossible to undo the “damage that was inflicted upon the country” (12:20–12:50).

4. The "Trump Effect" – Investment & Manufacturing Boom

• Ferguson showcases massive new investments:
  • Total US and foreign investment: $9 trillion
  • Major Investors:
    • UAE: $1.4 trillion (manufacturing, industry, tech, aerospace)
    • Qatar: $1.2 trillion
    • Japan: $1 trillion (auto, steel, Apple)
    • EU, Saudi Arabia, OpenAI, Nvidia, India, South Korea, Micron, IBM, Pfizer, Google—each with investments from $68 to $600 billion
  • AI infrastructure and supercomputing (Nvidia, Oracle, SoftBank, OpenAI: $500 billion+)
  • Domestic and foreign companies in biopharma, automotives, semiconductors, energy, and tech (14:10–15:30)
• Policy Principle:
  • “He made it clear if you want to do business in America, you need to invest in America... And that is exactly why the President has made it possible...for the US to see a surge of private and foreign investments that are fueling job growth, innovation and opportunity across every corner of the country.” (15:30)
• Ben frames these as direct results of "America First" policies.

5. Contrasting Narratives: Administration vs. Media

• Ferguson accuses media of being “completely silent” on economic gains (03:37).
• He urges listeners to look beyond headlines and recognize “the reality is we're moving in the right direction.” (16:00)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben Ferguson:
  • “If the economy's in such bad shape, how is it that wages are going up like this now?” (08:21)
  • “That is a massive $4,200 swing.” (11:42)
  • “What the media should be calling this is the Trump effect... very clear that his America first economic policies have sparked trillions of dollars in new investments in US manufacturing, technology and infrastructure.” (13:55)
• Press Secretary Caroline Levitt:
  • “These gains came after the summer passage of President Trump’s historic tax cuts and multiple big trade deals with countries around the world... Construction jobs have surged by 19,000 in September, the largest monthly gain in a year.” (07:45)
• Economic Analyst:
  • “Wages continue to way outpace inflation. If you go back to the three years of the Biden administration, the average American worker actually lost about $3,000... we've increased take home pay by about $1,200 adjusting for inflation.” (11:02)
• Senator Bernie Moreno:
  • “...Surging this country with up to 20 million illegal immigrants” (12:40)
• Ferguson’s wrap-up:
  • “...even though the media is trying to tell you that everything's terrible in America...the reality is we're moving in the right direction.” (16:00)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Main content starts: 03:37
• Economy discussion intro: 06:01
• White House statements, wage/inflation discussion: 07:00–09:00
• Vice President, jobs report commentary: 10:17–11:42
• Foreign investment and the “Trump Effect”: 13:30–15:30
• Conclusion & final messaging: 16:00–16:46

---

Tone & Language

Ben Ferguson maintains an assertive, conversational, and often combative tone, emphasizing what he frames as the administration’s under-reported achievements. He uses repetition (“massive swing”, “the Trump effect”, “America First policies”) to reinforce key messages. His language is colloquial, impassioned, and explicitly political.

---

Summary

This episode of The 47 Morning Update serves as an economic counter-narrative to mainstream media and opposition accounts, highlighting what the Trump administration brands as “victory” in the affordability crisis. Ferguson and featured voices point to surging job numbers, real wage gains, historically large investments (domestic and foreign), and a pivot in job allocation toward American citizens—painting a picture of a rapidly recovering economy. Throughout, Ferguson positions these as evidence of the success of “America First” policies, challenging listeners to reconsider pessimistic headlines about the state of the nation.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Commercial Narrator]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. Anabe sofas combine ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. Annabe has designed the only fully machine washable sofa from top to bottom. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design with changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Anna Bay has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Sofas start at just $699 and right now get early access to Black Friday savings up to 60% off storewide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply this holiday season.

[Podcast Host]

Give the gift of incredible sound with Vizio's full soundbar lineup available at Walmart. Transform any living room into a home theater with rich, immersive audio that brings every movie, show and song to life. Whether you're gifting a loved one or upgrading your own setup, Vizio soundbars deliver powerful, crystal clear sound that turns ordinary watching into extraordinary experiences. So stream your favorite holiday Playlist with the iHeartRadio app and discover how good your music can truly sound. Head to Walmart.com and find your perfect Vizio soundbar today.

[Rodney Williams]

AI agents are everywhere, automating tasks and making decisions at machine speed. But agents make mistakes. Just one rogue agent can do big damage before you even notice. Rubrik Agent Cloud is the only platform that helps you monitor agents, set guardrails and rewind mistakes so you can unleash agents, not risk. Accelerate your AI transformation at rubrik.com that's R U B R-I K.com forget everything.

[SpinQuest Advertiser]

You had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here with spinquest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all the table games you love, and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 at spinquest.com SpinQuest is.

[Rodney Williams]

A free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak Podcast, a real conversation about finance. Let's be honest, building Weft doesn't look the same for everyone.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have to revisit that.

[Rodney Williams]

And we're not stopping at success stories.

[Commercial Narrator]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

[Rodney Williams]

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[News Reporter]

It speaks volumes that tomorrow we have a communist coming to the White House because that's who the Democrat Party elected as the mayor of the largest city in the country. I think it's very telling, but I also think it speaks to the fact that President Trump is willing to meet with anyone and talk to anyone and to try to do what's right on behalf of the American people, whether they live in blue states or red states.

[Rodney Williams]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Good Friday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And we've got one big story for you. And it deals with the economy, massive job growth that was unexpected by the experts and the media completely silent on it. This as they're also trying to claim that Donald Trump's economy is a disaster. Well, the numbers don't back that up at all. And I'm going to give you all of what the president had to say at the White House on this as well in just a moment. But first, I want to tell you about incredible opportunity from Hillsdale College. It's not going to cost you a single dime to take some of the greatest courses about this country. There's so much confusion in the world today, and it can be hard to find clarity and truth. And that is where the new Hillsdale College miniseries on colonial America offers a powerful reminder that the first Americans were searching for the same things they believe that faith and reason reveal God's design for the world. And the understanding became the foundation of their courage and freedom. It's a stirring look at the ideas that still hold us together today. And the new Hillsdale College miniseries on colonial America offers a fresh way to think about Thanksgiving, beyond the food and the political debates. It reminds us what we should truly be thankful for, our freedom, our prosperity and our faith. The first Americans built all of that from nothing. And their story is told here with unmatched depth and inspiration. So I want you to go right now to Hillsdale Edu Morning Update to enroll. There's no cost, and it's easy to get started. That's Hillsdale EDU MorningUpdate to enroll for free and get this incredible class. There's also more than 40 other free online courses that we're offering you right now. Courses on CS Lewis, the stories in the book of Genesis, the rise and fall of the Roman Republic, and you can even go deeper on American founding and the Constitution, all for free. Go to Hillsdale. Edu MorningUpdate to enroll for free right now. That's Hillsdale Edu MorningUpdate. It is the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

[Rodney Williams]

Story number one, there's an old saying.

[Ben Ferguson]

In politics, it's the economy, stupid. It's an important one because if Americans feel like the economy is not going the right direction, they almost always blame whoever is in charge of the country, the president of the United States of America. Well, there are a lot of Americans right now that are not happy where pricing is and where the economy is. It's part of the reason why President Donald Trump was elected president. But Democrats are seizing this moment to now say that Donald Trump's economy is a disaster. The Trump White House, they're fighting back and working to fix what they describe as the affordability crisis and proving that they're making significant progress in this area after Americans suffered under Bidenflation for years. The White House press secretary, Caroline Levitt, pointing out during Thursday's press briefing just how bad things were, saying, quote, these gains came after the summer passage of President Trump's historic tax cuts and multiple big trade deals with countries around the world. In particular, construction jobs have surged by 19,000 in September, the largest monthly gain in a year. She also pointed out that most of this growth came from private sector and native born citizens are getting these jobs rather than foreign born workers. This, Levitt pointed out, is the opposite of what we saw under the Biden administration. She also reminded Americans of this, that inflation also remains under control and wages are up 3.8% over the year for American workers because of President Trump's pro growth policies. In fact, real wages are at a pace to increase, roughly $1,200 for the average worker this year alone under President Donald Trump. Now, if the economy's in such bad shape, how is it that wages are going up like this now? There's no doubt that a lot of the money we're making now is going to goods and services that are high price. The president also working on that, saying, quote, what we're doing, this is a complete reversal when we saw inflation skyrocket to 9% causing private sector workers to see their wages declined by approximately $3,000. While Americans are still suffering the consequences of the four years of economic disaster of the Biden administration, the White House press secretary said Donald Trump is making significant progress to fix this and he will not stop working until he solves it. As the President recently stated, he is never satisfied.

[News Reporter]

In economic news, the September jobs report showed the American economy remains strong with 119,000 new jobs added, more than double expectations. These gains came after the summer passage of President Trump's historic tax cuts and multiple big trade deals with countries around the world. In particular, construction jobs surged by 19,000 in September, the largest monthly gain in a year. Nearly all of this solid monthly job growth came from the private sector and went to Americans rather than foreign born workers, the opposite of what we saw under the previous administration. Inflation also remains under control and wages are up by 3.8% over the year for American workers because of President Trump's pro growth policies. In fact, real wages are on pace to increase roughly $1,200 for the average worker this year under President Trump. This is a complete reversal of the failed Biden era when we saw inflation, inflation skyrocket to 9%, causing private sector workers to see their wages decline by approximately $3,000. We know that Americans are still hurting from the four decade high inflation caused by Joe Biden and the Democrats, but President Trump is making significant progress to fix this and he will not stop working until he solves it. As the President recently stated, he is never stopped satisfied.

[Ben Ferguson]

The White House press secretary wasn't the only one talking about the positives in the economy. Vice President J.D. vance also pointing to the economic realities of yes, things are bad in some categories because of what happened over the last four years. But the Biden administration didn't ruin America and Donald Trump is fixing it as fast as he possibly can. Here's what the Vice President had to say in a Breitbart news event on Thursday.

[Rodney Williams]

Vice President the big news this morning is new jobs numbers blew away expectations huge from the September numbers. So these were delayed because of the government shutdown. More than double 119,000 new jobs. And then also there's some interesting stuff in the wage number wages numbers there as well that shows wages on the rise. Your thoughts on the jobs numbers?

[Economic Analyst]

Okay, so a huge jobs report and I assume the market is going crazy right now, probably just opened because what this shows is that the Trump economic policies are actually working and you've got 119,000 new jobs. Economists thought that we would have about 50,000 new jobs, but that's actually just the headline number. If you look below the surface, I think the numbers are actually better. So number one, wages continue to way outpace inflation. If you go back to the three years of the Biden administration, the average American worker actually lost about $3,000 of take home pay in the first 10 months of the Trump economy. We've increased take home pay by about $1,200 adjusting for inflation. So that's a huge, huge thing and this jobs report confirms that.

[Ben Ferguson]

So if you go back to the lie being told by the media that things are terrible, they weren't freaking out when that workers lost about $3,000 of take home pay under the Biden administration in the first 10 months of the Trump economy. You've got wage increases, a take home pay of about $1200. That is a massive $4200 swing. Now he also highlighted the private sectors driving this economy growth and the jobs are going to native born citizens rather than foreign workers. It's a drastic change from the reality under the Biden administration. And what happened under the Biden administration is to the extent that there was any job growth at all, if you look at the data, J.D. vance said almost all of the net job creation in the United States under the Biden administration went to foreign born workers. Now of course, some of those people are illegal immigrants in the United States of America, he continued. But that meant a lot of the job creation was actually going to illegal aliens who shouldn't have been in our country. Senator Bernie Moreno, Republican from Ohio, also pointed out the fact that the influx of foreign workers imported by the Biden administration really hurt American workers and Americans will remember the damage that was inflicted upon the country under the Biden administration and it cannot be undone what they did to this country in a matter of months, surging this country with up to 20 million illegal immigrants. He also urged Republicans to respond with urgency, saying these realities coincide with the Trump administration celebrating the strides made in the affordability crisis since Donald Trump took office in January. That includes falling gas prices, which reached record highs under Joe Biden, as well as dipping mortgage rates, falling inflation and boosts in take home pay. Those victories do not even include what the Trump administration has achieved through trade deals and historic investments secured by the President. All of which the president has been talking about is steps in the right direction. What the media should be calling this is the Trump effect. Since President Donald Trump returned to office, it's very clear that his America first economic policies have sparked trillions of dollars in new investments in US manufacturing, technology and infrastructure. Total US and foreign investment is now at $9 trillion. Where's the money coming from? The UAE putting in foreign investments of 1.4 trillion into manufacturing and industry, technology, aerospace as well. Qatar putting 1.2 trillion into America again in manufacturing and industry sector with technology and manufacturing being the main point. Japan 1 trillion into auto plants in U S steel Apple 600 billion into technology and manufacturing as well. EU firms putting in general investment of 600 billion. Saudi Arabia putting in 600 billion and now saying it's going to go to $1 trillion again in technology and manufacturing. SoftBank open AI and Oracle 500 billion all AI infrastructure projects. Nvidia a half a trillion dollars into AI infrastructure and supercomputers. India investing a half a billion in mutual trade expansion. South Korea 450 billion U S energy products micron 200 billion semiconductor manufacturing and research and development. IBM 150 billion of growth and manufacturing operations in the US Pfizer 70 billion into research, development and capital projects and Google 68 billion for AI infrastructure, electrician grants, hydropower facilities just to name a few. There are countless investments I could go on and on with. Johnson Johnson, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Amazon, Hyundai, Eli Lilly. The list is long. But what did the President do here? He made it clear if you want to do business in America, you need to invest in America. You can't just export or import. You must be a real player in this country. And that is exactly why the President has made it possible, through his leadership, for the US to see a surge of private and foreign investments that are fueling job growth, innovation and opportunity across every corner of the country. So yet again, President making good on a promise. Even though the media is trying to tell you that everything's terrible in America and the reality is we're moving in the right direction.

[Rodney Williams]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

[Commercial Narrator]

How do I do it all during the holidays? Four words Shipt. Same day delivery With Shipt, I can order groceries from Albertsons, decor from Michaels, even gifts for my furry friend from Petsmart. Plus my personal shopper brings everything I need that same day. That makes it a breeze to to decorate, get my shopping done and make time for all the holiday parties. Do it all this holiday season with Shipt. Download the app or visit shipt.com that's.

[Podcast Host]

S h ipt.com this holiday season Give the Gift Everyone will gather around a Vizio Smart TV now available at Walmart. From a super sized 100 inch TV to QLED TVs of all sizes, Vizio delivers breathtaking color and crystal clear picture quality that takes entertainment to the the next level. Plus with Watch Free plus built in they can enjoy free live and on demand TV right out of the box. Have a music lover on your list. They can stream their favorite music on the iHeartRadio app ready to go on every Vizio TV. The perfect gift is waiting. Head to Walmart.com and discover Vizio TVs today.

[SpinQuest Advertiser]

Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here with spinquest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all the table games you love, and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for [e-mail] SpinQuest is a free.

[Rodney Williams]

To play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak Podcast, a real conversation about finance. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.

[Rodney Williams]

To revisit that and we're not stopping at success stories.

[Commercial Narrator]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

[Rodney Williams]

Because wealth isn't just about money. It's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[Commercial Narrator]

This is the story of the one as a custodial supervisor at a high school, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast. It's why he partners with Grainger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers, all so that he can help students, staff and teachers stay healthy and focused. Call 1-800-granger click grainger.com or just stop by hi Granger. For the ones who get it done.

[Podcast Host]

This is an I Heart podcast.