Nine economic charts comparing Trump, Obama and Bush presidencies.

Trump boasts the economy is the best it's ever been. Here are 9 charts showing how it's fared compared to the Obama and Bush presidencies.

Joseph Zeballos-Roig and Andy Kiersz - Business Insider

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pointed to the nation's steady economic health as the strongest indicator of his success, calling it "terrific" and "the greatest in the history of the country." Lately he's used it as a defense to fend off the Democratic-led impeachment proceedings in the House.

But how does his handling of the economy compare to his immediate predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush?

Presidents receive a lot of credit when the economy is performing well and a barrage of criticism when it doesn't, despite the fact they don't exactly wield direct power over it. Any number of factors can throw it out of balance, like the dotcom bubble bursting during Bush's first term, or the subprime mortgage crisis in the housing market that led to the Great Recession.

But a closer look at the Trump economy reveals a conflicting portrait. Wages are rising, the unemployment rate is ticking downward, and job growth is holding steady — but Trump's ongoing trade wars have sapped business confidence. Companies are pulling back on hiring workers as a result.

More: https://www.businessinsider.com/9-charts-comparing-trump-economy-to-obama-bush-administrations-2019-9