Trump touts World Cup's $18B economic boost

President Trump said the World Cup generated more than $18 billion for the U.S. economy and supported over 160,000 jobs, according to remarks he made publicly. He noted match-day restaurant spending jumped 80% during the tournament, underscoring what he framed as a major economic win for the country. Trump also cited broader travel and economic activity figures, including 290 billion miles driven on U.S. highways, 78 million visitors to national parks, and air travel surpassing 3 million passengers on 11 separate days. The president pointed to the numbers as evidence of a thriving economy and robust consumer activity tied to major national events. No independent economic agency has yet verified the figures, which were presented by Trump himself in the remarks.