Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday Democrats are an “enemy” who are “dying for a recession” so that President Trump’s economy won’t factor into the campaign.

Fox Business Network’s Charles Payne asked about predictions that the U.S. will enter another recession next year.

“There’s a research report out from Zillow where they go with their agents and analysts and they think we will have a recession next year. What do you make of that?” Mr. Payne asked.

“The enemy keeps postponing when the recession’s going to come,” Mr. Ross said, seemingly referring to Democrats. “They are dying to have a recession. They can’t bear going into next year’s election with the economy the way that it is.”

“But you get USMCA through, that’s a half a point or thereabouts on the economy,” he said, referring to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Mr. Trump’s replacement to the North American Free Trade Agreement that needs congressional approval.

“If they do hold off and don’t give it, it’s a wonderful campaign issue because they would clearly be starving the U.S. economy. Starving the U.S. workforce simply to avoid giving the president a win. That’s not a very good idea,” he said.

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