Trump takes credit for inventing the 1930s economic phrase 'priming the pump'

Pump priming dates back to the 1800s, when pumps looked like this.
(Image credit: iStock)

Did you know President Trump invented the phrase "priming the pump?" He did so in the last few days, actually, according to himself:

[The Economist]: ... It's okay if the tax plan increases the deficit?[President Trump]: It is okay, because it won't increase it for long. You may have two years where you'll … you understand the expression "prime the pump"?Yes.We have to prime the pump.It's very Keynesian.We're the highest-taxed nation in the world. Have you heard that expression before, for this particular type of an event?Priming the pump?Yeah, have you heard it?Yes.Have you heard that expression used before? Because I haven't heard it. I mean, I just … I came up with it a couple of days ago and I thought it was good. It's what you have to do.It's…Yeah, what you have to do is you have to put something in before you can get something out. [The Economist]

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Explore More
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.