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Trump cites record stocks, jobs, and factory investment for 401(k) gains
The S&P 500 is up about 29% since the start of Trump’s second term, helping push average 401(k) balances higher at Fidelity and Vanguard.
President Donald Trump said Americans’ retirement accounts are benefiting from a historic economic run, pointing to record stock prices, rising employment, and faster factory investment as evidence the U.S. economy is strengthening. In support of his argument, the article notes that the benchmark S&P 500 has gained about 29% since the beginning of Trump’s second term, which it says has lifted retirement account values along the way. The piece also cites data from Fidelity and Vanguard showing increases in average 401(k) balances, with Fidelity reporting a rise of 11% from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 to $141,000, and Vanguard reporting a 13% gain in 2025 to an all-time high average balance of $167,970. The article adds that Trump did not specify what he meant by 401(k) returns being “double and triple,” and notes returns can vary widely depending on workers’ holdings, when they started investing, and how much they contribute. It also references a claim that U.S. factory activity has reached its fastest pace in more than four years and that U.S. goods exports have topped $200 billion for a fifth straight month, with an outlook cited for nearly $2.5 trillion in goods exports this year.
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