Daddy's Home & It Ain't Looking Good

How Trump's Policies Are Making Life Harder for His Own Supporters

Donald Trump’s base includes tens of millions of working-class people who support him and voted for him, largely due to economic concerns. They believe the cost of living is too high and wages are too low. As evidence, they often point to the rising cost of groceries, especially eggs, which more than doubled during Joe Biden’s presidency. Trump promised to lower prices through tariffs and the deportation of more than ten million undocumented immigrants. After the election, his followers were so convinced he could deliver that they started wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with the phrase, “Daddy’s home.”

Well, Daddy’s been home for two weeks, and egg prices are soaring again. The main cause? The law of supply and demand. A severe outbreak of bird flu has reduced egg production, causing grocery stores to bid up the price of available eggs, which ultimately gets passed on to consumers. And there is little, if anything, that Trump can do about it.

Meanwhile, the same economic principle will soon impact other food prices. Immigrant farm workers, who pick and process much of the country’s fresh produce, are staying home for fear of deportation. With fewer workers, agricultural production will decline, tightening supply and pushing prices higher. Ironically, the very working-class Trump supporters who already struggle to afford groceries will be among those hit the hardest.

The economic pain won’t end at the supermarket. Trump has imposed tariffs on goods from three of the United States' largest trading partners: Mexico, Canada, and China. Although he claims that foreign companies will absorb these costs, economic studies and historical evidence suggest otherwise—the burden of tariffs is typically passed on to consumers. This means higher prices for everyday goods, from Chinese-made electronics sold at Walmart to Ford vehicles with Canadian-made engines. Light trucks assembled in Mexico will also see price hikes, making them more expensive for American buyers.

On the other side of the equation, U.S. trading partners are expected to retaliate. First, they will seek alternative suppliers, reducing American exports and strengthening economic rivals such as China. Second, they will impose tariffs on American goods, making them more expensive abroad. Canada, for example, has already announced a new tariff plan, effective Tuesday, covering everything from clothing to appliances. As Canadian consumers shift away from U.S. products, American businesses will face declining demand, which—you guessed it—will lead to layoffs in U.S. manufacturing sectors.

Over the long run, tariffs could theoretically boost domestic manufacturing by incentivizing companies to produce goods in the U.S. rather than importing them. However, with the current labor market experiencing record-low unemployment, there simply aren’t enough workers available to sustain such an expansion. Furthermore, rising labor costs could accelerate the adoption of automation and artificial intelligence, replacing human jobs at an even faster rate.

Although Trump campaigned on tariffs last summer and fall, he spoke little about the budget cuts he and his Republican allies are now pursuing. Medicaid, which provides healthcare to millions of low-income Americans—many of whom voted for Trump—is first on the chopping block. Without it, recipients will be forced to buy private health insurance, which, on average, costs $477 per month for an individual and nearly $1,500 per month for a family of four.

Other social programs under threat include food stamps, funding for underprivileged schools, and subsidized school lunches. Millions of Trump voters rely on these programs. But did they consider these potential cuts when casting their ballots? CNN interviewed officials at a rural school, many of whom supported Trump, and found that they hadn’t. Their reasoning? They simply didn’t believe Trump would enact policies that would harm them—a sentiment echoed by many of his supporters in past elections.

Perhaps the biggest economic shock, however, comes from the Trump administration's decision to suspend payments on nearly all federal grants and loans. This freeze will impact subsidies and financing for farmers, a key voting bloc in rural America. It will also disrupt funding for state and local governments, small businesses, Head Start daycare centers, public health agencies, and senior meal programs. Given that Republican-leaning red states receive a disproportionate share of federal aid compared to blue states, Trump’s base will bear the brunt of these cuts.

Taken together, these policies send a clear message: many working-class Trump supporters are in for tougher times ahead. After securing their votes, Trump is enacting economic measures that will likely leave them worse off.

P.S. In Canada, a dozen eggs cost about $2.75 (USD), less than half the current price in the United States.