Stephen Moore served as a talking head at CNN during the first Trump administration.
Posted by Bulwark Takes, Checked
- Sources
- 2 support3 context
- Said
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Bulwark TakesAug 21, 2026
Sources show Stephen Moore appeared on CNN during the first Trump administration: Media Matters reports he joined CNN in February 2017 as its senior economics analyst, and Vox says he was a CNN contributor through the Trump era, defending the president, before leaving in March 2019.
What was said
… And, ah, I don't know, like, I was 22 years old and sitting there thinking, This is what passes for conservative intellectual these days? Yeah, my encounters with Mr. Moore were usually in the form of a debate. In the first Trump administration, when I was talking head at CNN, they often paired me up with him, where his job was to just defend anything that the Trump administration did, even if it was well, he wanted a job more. I don't think so. I think it's much more lucrative for someone like him to be on the outside, ah, taking money from these fake think tanks, defending the president, and advising the president on behalf of the …
Bulwark Takes · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Media Matters (2017) reports Moore used his first appearance on CNN after joining the network as its 'senior economics analyst,' during the early Trump presidency.[3]
Supports. Vox (2019) states Moore became a CNN contributor, 'a fixture during the Trump era, defending the president on all kinds of matters,' and left the network the previous month.[2]
Context. The 2026 CNN segments identify Moore as a former Trump economic adviser appearing on CNN, which is consistent with his earlier CNN commentator role but does not directly address the 2017–2019 period.[4][5]
Context. The AP (2019) report notes CNN's reporting on Moore's past columns during the Trump-nominee controversy, confirming his public prominence but not his CNN role directly.[1]
Sources
5 sources: 1 fact-checker, 2 tier 2, 2 not rated
- 1A Trump Fed choice steps aside, and another faces new doubtsapnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2Trump's Fed pick wrote that women should be banned from March Madnessvox.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 3This Is What Happens When You Hire A Trump Adviser To Give Economic Analysismediamatters.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 4Former Trump Economic Adviser rates the U.S. economy a ‘B’ | CNN Businesscnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
- 5Trump Doubles Down On Tariffs As Most Americans Blast Themtranscripts.cnn.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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