In a recent appearance at the Economic Club of Chicago, former President Donald Trump became confrontational when questioned about the significant increase in the national debt during his administration. Trump's exchange with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait was tense as the latter brought up expert estimates suggesting that Trump's policies might have added between $7 trillion and $15 trillion to the national debt.

Micklethwait prefaced his inquiry by discussing 'Trump Trade,' the market dynamics influenced by Trump's economic policies, which were predicted to spur inflation and elevate interest rates. When Micklethwait mentioned that organizations like the Wall Street Journal had also voiced criticism, estimating that Trump could add $7.5 trillion to the national debt, Trump's demeanor shifted. His reaction was dismissive, responding with disbelief and questioning the credibility of such claims.

The Wall Street Journal's estimate, noted in a report from early October, indicated that Trump's policies could result in twice the national debt compared to the proposed plans of Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump attempted to counter the challenging assertions by targeting the credibility of Micklethwait and the Wall Street Journal. As Micklethwait endeavored to clarify his question, Trump interrupted, accusing Micklethwait of being consistently incorrect throughout his career.

The audience responded with laughter to Trump's retorts. Despite Micklethwait's repeated attempts to navigate through the tense conversation, Trump persisted in his criticism, emphasizing his belief that both Micklethwait and his referencing sources had historically been misguided.