Trump accidentally admits he is not a 'smart' president while discussing dollar value at GENIUS Act event

Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act to back stablecoins with assets, but sparked laughs by seemingly calling himself a 'dummy'
Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act to regulate stablecoins, but drew attention for a slip implying he’s not a 'smart president' (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act to regulate stablecoins, but drew attention for a slip implying he’s not a 'smart president' (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: During the celebratory signing of the GENIUS Act in the White House East Room on Friday, July 18, President Donald Trump made headlines for an unexpected reason.

While addressing reporters about the state of the US dollar, Trump, in an effort to contrast his leadership with that of his predecessor, Joe Biden, inadvertently seemed to include himself in a description of poor presidential decision-making. 



 

Donald Trump mistakenly admits he’s not a ‘smart president’

“No, we’re not going to let the dollar slide. If we have a smart president, you’re never going to let the dollar slide,” Donald Trump said, before adding, “If you have a dummy, that could happen.”

The president went on to criticize former President Biden, blaming him for the decline in the value of the US dollar during his term. “Have you ever asked him about the dollar slide?” he said. “He would have no idea, but we can’t let that ever happen again.”

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up the “GENIUS Act” alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) after signing the bill into law during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House July 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. The act, formally known as the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, was passed this week by the U.S. Congress. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump holds up the 'GENIUS Act' alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson after signing the bill into law during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on July 18, 2025, in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

However, the numbers tell a complex story. After a brief surge in the dollar’s value following Trump’s reelection in November 2024, the currency peaked in mid-January at 109.34 on the ICE US Dollar Index. Since then, it has declined sharply to 98.46, the dollar’s worst start to a new year since 1973.

Though the president didn’t directly call himself “not smart,” many observers pointed to the contradiction between his remarks and current economic trends. “Well, he didn't lie. He said 'If you have a smart president…' He's not, so we don't,” one posted on X.



 

Another wrote, “Guess we have a dummy by his own metrics.”



 

One user bluntly admitted, “Trump: ‘If you have a dummy, the dollar could slide.’ Well… since he took office, the US dollar has dropped over 10% against major currencies—the worst first half-year since 1973. So by his own definition… We had a dummy. And he brought charts. Checkmate, genius.”



 

“Guess the dollar didn’t get the memo on ‘smart leadership,’” another user added. “According to his own rules, we’ve got a real genius here!” a user joked.



 



 

Donald Trump touts GENIUS Act as landmark move to make America the crypto capital of the world

President Donald Trump signs S.1582 GENIUS Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, July 18, 2025.Francis Chung/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency
President Donald Trump signs S.1582 GENIUS Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, July 18, 2025 (Francis Chung/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency)

The president's remarks came during the signing of the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins), a first-of-its-kind federal law aimed at regulating and legitimizing stablecoins.

These digital assets, often backed by commodities like the US dollar or gold, are designed to hold consistent value and reduce volatility compared to other cryptocurrencies.  



 

The president joked about the name of the bill, telling the crowd, “They named it after me,” prompting laughter. He added, “We worked hard. It’s a very important act, the 'GENIUS Act'. And I want to thank you. This is a hell of an act.”

While signing the GENIUS Act on July 18, the president revisited an earlier pledge, stating, “I pledged that we would bring back American liberty and leadership and make the United States the crypto capital of the world. And that’s what we've done. And under the Trump administration, this is only going further.”

He added, “Just as I promised last year, the GENIUS Act creates a clear and simple regulatory framework to establish and unleash the immense promise of dollar-backed stablecoin. This could be perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the internet itself.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Abdul El-Sayed publicly praised Senator Chris Van Hollen as an ideal replacement, saying he would make an excellent majority leader
10 minutes ago
Donald Trump signals support for DOJ action after Senator Rand Paul moves a criminal contempt referral against Anthony Fauci
1 hour ago
One order expanded limits on birthright citizenship for some diplomats' children, while another targeted birth tourism with new rules
6 hours ago
The holdings included a golden share in US Steel, a $400M stake in MP Materials, and an $8.9 billion Intel stake via CHIPS funding
7 hours ago
President Donald Trump dismissed reports of internal tensions while doubling down on his support for the Pentagon chief
7 hours ago
A survey results showed 57% of Americans viewed affordability as a full-blown crisis, highlighting it remained a top issue for voters
8 hours ago
Abdul El-Sayed earned a medical degree, received an Oxford public health doctorate, taught epidemiology at Columbia, and then led Detroit Health
9 hours ago
BBC sought financial records for about 400 Trump-linked entities after he claimed its 2024 documentary damaged his 'brand, properties and businesses'
9 hours ago
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, August 4, advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination, marking a decisive step closer to his assuming the post of AG
11 hours ago
Trump's warning came after reports claimed he sought answers from Pete Hegseth over alleged weapons shortages
11 hours ago