The GOP is hailing Trump's infrastructure plan as a major accomplishment. It's never gotten close to being passed.


The GOP compiled a list of President Trump's #winning record to celebrate his administration's accomplishments — including an infrastructure plan that has yet to go into effect.
In a blog post published Monday, the GOP hailed "500 Days of American Greatness" since Trump took office, counting down from $700 billion in defense spending to "0: The number of days Hillary Clinton has served as president."
David Frum, an editor at The Atlantic, pointed out that the summary "twice cites non-existent infrastructure plans" as some of the president's big accomplishments. Indeed, part of Trump's "American Greatness" list includes $200 billion in federal money that is "dedicated to improving America's infrastructure" and another $50 billion "dedicated to rural infrastructure."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Both are supposedly a part of Trump's infrastructure plan, but there's just one problem with that claim: Trump himself said that his plan wouldn't go into effect until after the 2018 midterms. CNBC reports that Trump blamed Democrats for delaying his long-awaited infrastructure plan. The White House describes the plan as an initiative that "will lead to" at least $1.5 trillion in local investments, by spending about $200 billion.
The list also touted low unemployment rates and newly-restarted potato exports to Japan among Trump's accomplishments. Even though the major infrastructure plan has stalled since his administration announced it in February, the fact that Trump is "dedicated" to this plan is apparently #winning enough for the GOP.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Brazil has a scorpion problem
Under The Radar Venomous arachnids are infesting country's fast-growing cities
-
Why Rikers Island will no longer be under New York City's control
The Explainer A 'remediation manager' has been appointed to run the infamous jail
-
California may pull health care from eligible undocumented migrants
IN THE SPOTLIGHT After pushing for universal health care for all Californians regardless of immigration status, Gov. Gavin Newsom's latest budget proposal backs away from a key campaign promise
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs