Trump's War Against The Common Man

“I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.” These were the words of Donald Trump, the self-described “President of Peace”, as he railed against America’s interventions in foreign lands instead of “fixing the roads in this country…fixing our highways, our tunnels, our bridges, our hospitals.” America First! He promised his voters, vowing to improve the lives of ordinary Americans above all else.

And yet, barely a year into his second presidency, a combination of Trump’s tariffs strategy, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the war with Iran have piled pressure on the U.S. economy. The price of oil has spiked, boosting the likelihood of inflation and a future recession. And which Americans most bear the brunt of these decisions? Trump? His friends in Wall Street or Silicon Valley? No. It is those he most relied upon to seal his return to the White House. Those in less affluent areas, who have suffered most from the disappearance of blue collar jobs and are brutally impacted by fluctuations in the cost-of-living.

It is precisely these people Trump has built his core MAGA base from, telling them they had been left behind by the Democrats, who were preoccupied with liberal metropolitan areas and foreign exploits. But it is precisely these people who Trump has complete disregard for. This is what happens when a self-serving, reality TV star is elected to the White House. The American government now pursues policies on the whim of its volatile President, who goes unchallenged by a cabinet populated with yes-men, subservient to their omniscient leader.

Let us start with the tariffs and the infamous “Liberation Day”. Trump proclaimed that tariffs were necessary to counter countries who were ripping off the US and, in doing so, devastating American manufacturing jobs. And yet, since Trump declared ordinary Americans liberated, there have been over 89,000 job losses in the manufacturing industry and 123,700 in transport and warehousing. The American people may be liberated, but because of their President’s actions, they are also increasingly job-less.

And they are also paying more for their goods. Research has found tariffs have raised the average household bill by up to $1,700 annually, with more than 65% of Americans saying tariffs have made everyday goods less affordable. The Supreme Court has since ruled the majority of Trump’s tariffs illegal, but the damage has been done and he has subsequently pushed ahead with a new 10% global tariff rate anyway.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act presents another vanity project for the President, which again hits the average American hardest. During a time of financial volatility, the bill will add a projected $4.7tn to the national debt by 2035, by permanently extending tax cuts for large corporations and the wealthy and boosting defence and border spending. The now infamous ICE agency received $100bn in extra funding, up from an annual budget of around $8bn. These spends have been offset by cuts to Medicaid and food benefits, again hitting poorer Americans hardest.

So the stage had been set for Trump’s war on the common man. An economy providing the conditions for the rich to get richer, while removing safeguards for the most vulnerable and failing to address job cuts and rising prices. All that was needed was a final spark to ignite an inflationary spiral and potential recession. Trump’s decision to attack Iran has provided this.

Since the beginning of the war on 28th February, the price of crude oil has surged by up to 60%. Key oil producing facilities in the Middle East have been struck and the Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut down, blocking key shipping routes. The knock on effect of this could be devastating for economies that are still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is an immediate effect on the price at the pump, but the rising price of oil has far-reaching effects on the economy. Energy prices go up and subsequently the costs of packaging, fertiliser production and transportation rise. Businesses have to pass on these costs to consumers, increasing the price of essentials such as groceries, along with other goods and services like eating out.

The average citizen is left scrutinising every purchase, reviewing where they spend their hard-earned cash, and often cutting back on all but the necessities. Industries like hospitality and retail see a reduced footfall, leading to businesses closing and jobs being lost at exactly the time people desperately need income.

Does this affect Trump and his loyalists in government and business? Not in the slightest. The wealthiest in society are always most shielded from economic shocks. In fact, they often benefit from it, typically investing their savings in assets like gold and real estate. Whereas those with no or minimal savings live paycheck to paycheck, unable to accumulate wealth.

And yet, those most affected by a cost-of-living crisis overwhelmingly outnumber the wealthy. Their vote is vital in any election, influencing the direction their country takes for the next four years. For the politician, ignore the everyday citizen at your peril. 

It is the strange paradox of Trump’s political persona. He has cultivated a fanatic voter base from Americans who feel left behind by Washington’s politics, devastated by the 2008 financial crash and the job losses and price rises that followed. He claims he stands for the common man, despite all evidence to the contrary. He was born into wealth and has never experienced financial hardship. He simply cannot relate to the lives of most Americans.

And now, until 2028, the average American can do little, but sit back and watch Trump initiate further economic chaos. The midterms will at least provide an opportunity to reel back some of his power. But with polling indicating an overwhelming 89% of the MAGA base support Trump’s attack on Iran, it is unclear whether the President’s disregard of those who elected him to the White House has had any effect as of yet. What is clear, however, is the President’s abandonment of those who made his election possible.

Image: Flickr/Vince Reinhart

Licence.

No image changes made.