Trump's Economic Pledge: A Policy Potluck That's Losing Its Appetite
When Donald Trump first took office, promising a cornucopia of economic benefits, many Americans were eager to give him the benefit of the doubt. Fast forward to today, and it's clear that his administration has yet to deliver on its most pressing campaign promises.
Despite rising household energy costs seven times faster than during President Joe Biden's last year in office, Trump still touts a booming economy. The auto industry, which he vowed would be revitalized by tariffs, remains stuck in neutral. His promise to slash the cost of new homes in half? Forget it – that one has long since been written off.
The central economic plank of his campaign – jobs and factories returning home, thanks to the wall of tariffs he built around America's market – is nowhere to be seen. In fact, experts say the very thing he did to try to curb inflation (tariffs) is now getting in the way.
As a result, 49% of Americans think the economy is worse off than it was a year ago, while 54% disapprove of Trump's economic stewardship. A CNN survey found that 61% disagree with his economic policies altogether.
Trump's response? To keep spewing out feel-good policy proposals, some of which make little to no economic sense. For example, capping credit card interest rates might help indebted Americans, but it will likely only serve to cut off poorer borrowers from access to credit. Similarly, extending mortgages to 50 years would raise housing costs without increasing supply.
It's a policy salad that's lost its appeal to many voters. Trump's proposals often seem designed more to curry favor with specific voting blocs than to actually address economic challenges. From mass deportations of immigrant workers to price caps on prescription drugs, his policies are increasingly detached from reality.
The new approach is emblematic of America's post-globalization politics landscape – one where the imperative to acknowledge and address voter grievances takes center stage. While this tactic can work, as evidenced by Trump's 2016 campaign promise to cut food and gas prices, it remains to be seen whether Americans will continue to buy into his latest wave of policy proposals.
For now, it seems clear that Trump is running out of options – and time. As frustrations mount, the president appears increasingly desperate for this approach to work.
When Donald Trump first took office, promising a cornucopia of economic benefits, many Americans were eager to give him the benefit of the doubt. Fast forward to today, and it's clear that his administration has yet to deliver on its most pressing campaign promises.
Despite rising household energy costs seven times faster than during President Joe Biden's last year in office, Trump still touts a booming economy. The auto industry, which he vowed would be revitalized by tariffs, remains stuck in neutral. His promise to slash the cost of new homes in half? Forget it – that one has long since been written off.
The central economic plank of his campaign – jobs and factories returning home, thanks to the wall of tariffs he built around America's market – is nowhere to be seen. In fact, experts say the very thing he did to try to curb inflation (tariffs) is now getting in the way.
As a result, 49% of Americans think the economy is worse off than it was a year ago, while 54% disapprove of Trump's economic stewardship. A CNN survey found that 61% disagree with his economic policies altogether.
Trump's response? To keep spewing out feel-good policy proposals, some of which make little to no economic sense. For example, capping credit card interest rates might help indebted Americans, but it will likely only serve to cut off poorer borrowers from access to credit. Similarly, extending mortgages to 50 years would raise housing costs without increasing supply.
It's a policy salad that's lost its appeal to many voters. Trump's proposals often seem designed more to curry favor with specific voting blocs than to actually address economic challenges. From mass deportations of immigrant workers to price caps on prescription drugs, his policies are increasingly detached from reality.
The new approach is emblematic of America's post-globalization politics landscape – one where the imperative to acknowledge and address voter grievances takes center stage. While this tactic can work, as evidenced by Trump's 2016 campaign promise to cut food and gas prices, it remains to be seen whether Americans will continue to buy into his latest wave of policy proposals.
For now, it seems clear that Trump is running out of options – and time. As frustrations mount, the president appears increasingly desperate for this approach to work.
. It seems like Trump's plan was all smoke and mirrors, with some feel-good promises but little substance. I mean, who doesn't love the idea of cheaper homes and lower energy bills? 
But if these things aren't happening, what's the point? And can we please just talk about something else for a sec? The wall of tariffs might've had an unintended consequence - it's now causing inflation instead of curbing it 
. I think the US needs to shift its focus from protectionism to actual economic growth 
. Trump's gotta try harder if he wants to win back the trust of the people 
. It's like he thinks we're all just going to forget about the rising energy costs and stagnant auto industry 
. The fact that 49% of Americans think the economy is worse off now than it was a year ago is crazy 
. And don't even get me started on these new proposals - capping credit card interest rates? Extending mortgages to 50 years? It just doesn't make sense 
. I mean, can't he just focus on one thing for once? 
You know what's wild? 
That's like going from 2% to 14% growth rate in just one metric alone. Meanwhile, Trump's economic policies have led to a whopping 25% drop in manufacturing employment since 2016... yeah, that doesn't seem like a 'booming' economy to me 
#SadEconomy. The guy was all like "Boom economy, jobs galore" but it seems like his policies are more like a policy potluck that nobody wants to eat 
#NotImpressed. Capping credit card interest rates might help some, but it'll only disadvantage those who really need access to credit 
#TrumpProblems.
. People need real solutions, not just some feel-good proposals that don't actually address the issues. I think it's unfair to say he's failed miserably, though. He's just trying new things and taking risks 
.
. I'm all for extending mortgages to 50 years – it could really help out some people who are struggling to make ends meet 
. Sure, maybe some of his proposals don't make sense, but that's what makes him a interesting guy, right? A rebel without a cause 
.