As President Donald Trump reaches the halfway point of his second term, American voters remain deeply divided on the state of the economy under his leadership. While some see signs of progress, others express frustration over persistently high prices, limited job opportunities, and a perceived disconnect between the President’s rhetoric and their lived experiences.
Mary Anne Dagata, a 72-year-old Republican from Michigan, has seen food prices in her rural community fluctuate wildly. “At the beginning of the year, things were a lot tougher. Gas was really, really bad and then we had problems with getting food trucked in because I live in a rural area, so prices shot up real crazy. Where other people were complaining about $7 (£5.23) eggs, we had $11 (£8.22) eggs.” However, she notes that the situation has since improved, saying, “It’s much better now, it’s like night and day. We’re aiming in a better place these days, things have completely come around from where we were a year ago.”
In contrast, 33-year-old Anthony Landaeta, an independent voter from Minnesota, has been forced to tighten his family’s budget due to the high cost of childcare. “It feels like the price of everything is rising. Childcare costs are about $25,000 per year, which really surprised me.” Landaeta, who works as an engineer and whose wife is an airline pilot, expressed doubts about the accuracy of the President’s claims regarding the economy, stating, “It feels like Trump doesn’t tell the truth about almost anything, so it’s hard to know how the economy is actually doing.”
Jim Sullivan, a 55-year-old Republican from Indiana, is also unsure about the state of the economy under Trump’s second term. “I know inflation is down, allegedly down, but prices for all kinds of other things are super high, electricity, all kinds of things.” He feels that the President’s focus on immigration enforcement may be hindering economic progress, saying, “I guess a lot of people wanted Trump to enforce immigration, I think that’s probably hurting some of the economy.”
Devynn De Velasco, a 22-year-old independent voter from Nebraska, is concerned that Trump’s emphasis on foreign policy could have negative consequences for the US economy. “For the first few months he’d reference the economy, but I can’t tell you the last time I’ve seen reporters questioning Trump about the economy let alone he addresses it on his own. My husband and I are honestly worried about an economic collapse.”
Denise Demontagnac, a 21-year-old registered Democrat from Maryland, has struggled to find stable employment since graduating from university last year, despite the President’s claims of a thriving job market. “One year post graduation, I have not been able to find a stable job which is extremely impacting my life and my family’s life as well. It’s not that I haven’t applied for jobs. I’ve applied for jobs every single day. It’s the fact that people are not hiring, partially because they cannot afford to hire.”
Kai Christenson, a 30-year-old financial consultant and independent voter from Colorado, says his personal finances are “marginally ahead” of where they were a year ago, but he is concerned that the gains may not last. “On the campaign trail, Trump consistently brought up all the problems with inflation, and his intent to tackle it very quickly. But once back in office, with this recent geopolitical activity with Iran and Venezuela, I think it has taken a back seat.”
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump’s economic legacy appears to be a mixed bag, with some voters seeing signs of progress while others struggle with the realities of high costs and limited job opportunities. The President’s ability to address these concerns and unite a deeply divided electorate may be a crucial factor in determining the outcome of the next presidential race.
