On Friday, his prediction might come true — albeit briefly. Economists are projecting the gross domestic product will have grown between 4.1% and a whopping 4.9% when the second quarter estimate is released, up from 2% in the first quarter.
By many metrics, the United States economy is in excellent shape: Unemployment is near an 18-year low, factories are seeing more orders, and exports are surging. But analysts also warn that the exuberance might be short-lived, since the quarter’s big numbers will also reflect a rush to stock up on supplies and move inventory in case a trade war makes them more expensive.