Voters are punishing Donald Trump for his economic vandalism
By Maya Ellison · Reporting from Detroit ·
As a wasteful war in Iran and soaring prices hurt working families, voters are abandoning Donald Trump and his party.
I grew up in Flint. I know what it looks like when the people in charge lie while your life falls apart. I saw it with the water and I saw it during the crash. Now, Donald Trump is trying the same trick. He claims he is overseeing the greatest economy in history. The numbers tell a different story. A Fox News poll shows 63% of voters say the administration made the economy worse. NBC News finds 55% say his policies hurt. This is not a "both sides" debate. It is a record of economic vandalism.
The cost of the beautiful lie
The administration argues that Trump is overseeing the greatest economy in history. They point to corporate growth to suggest the working class is winning. But that claim is a fantasy. For people in my zip code, the economy is measured at the grocery store and the gas pump.
MS NOW reports that candidates are trying to distance themselves from Trump. This mirrors the Trade War with China, where tariffs were framed as a win but raised costs for families. The result is a squeeze on the vulnerable.
This is the same grift as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Both used the same mechanism: policy designed to benefit the affluent and corporations is sold as a general economic boon but fails to deliver for the working class. Trump’s "big, beautiful bill" is just the latest version. NBC News reports 42% of voters are less likely to support a candidate backing that bill.
War and the dinner table
The pain is not just about taxes. It is about a foreign policy that burns money and lives. The instability we see now began with the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) Withdrawal. That path led to the Iran War, which has become a wasteful conflict.
NBC News reports 62% of voters disagree that the Iran war has been worth it. This war pushed up prices on gas and other goods. The costs are landing on the kitchen table. Even the food supply is failing. According to official records, the United States cattle herd has fallen to its lowest level in 75 years. This has left beef prices elevated for every American.
The public is finally waking up to the cost of this aggression. 57% of voters are less likely to support a candidate who supports the Iran war. They are tired of paying for wars that serve the military-industrial complex while their own cupboards are bare.
The propaganda machine and the ballot
Fox News acts as a propaganda machine to cover these failures. They try to gaslight workers into believing the pain is imaginary. But even the machine is cracking. newrepublic.com describes a meltdown at Fox News when their own poll showed 63% of voters say the administration made the economy worse.
Trump is now trying to buy loyalty. He announced a plan to issue $5,000 payments to every adult if Republicans keep control of Congress. It is a transparent bribe. NBC News reports 46% of voters are less likely to support a candidate who backs this payment plan.
The historical pattern predicts a rout. Voters once rode an anti-Trump wave to flip the House. This time, the pain is more tangible. NBC News reports 52% of voters are less likely to support a candidate endorsed by Trump.
The GOP's grip on the House and Senate will shatter in November. Working-class consumers are abandoning Republican candidates in droves. They are tired of the tariffs and the wasteful war. They cannot eat a $5,000 bribe while grocery prices soar. The pain is too real for Fox News to hide. Donald Trump has become a toxic brand that will drag his party down with him.