There’s a sense of regret from a Trump backer as she reflects on her vote for the 79-year-old during his second stint, all due to the soaring prices and escalating political and economic turbulence. Jenique Jones, a credit specialist hailing from Bethlehem, shared her thoughts with CNN’s John King, expressing how Trump has failed to follow through on his commitments. She expressed her dismay about immigration crackdowns and various tumultuous shifts.
King noted, “We have a new president since the start of the year, and he promised to fix everything.” But Jones couldn’t hold back: “Has anything changed? Not a chance. I’m sitting here, really hoping he’ll turn things around.”
When he started his second term, Trump stood at the Capitol and proclaimed a vision to make America great and affordable again—suggesting that the ‘Golden Age’ of the U.S. could return, blaming the Biden administration for the current mess.
Despite touting intentions to curb inflation and improve the overall economic landscape, it appears those words have merely evaporated. Current inflation suggests that the troubles are far from over.
According to Jenique, grocery bills have ballooned, childcare and rent have become increasingly unattainable, and people are turning to credit to manage their finances. “It’s like we’re stuck in a massive financial whirlwind,” she highlighted.
In Bethlehem, a crucial battleground lake in Pennsylvania’s Northampton County, support for Trump over the last few elections has been constant, with the region backing the successful candidate since 2008, as The Daily Beast notes.
Election results revealed that on November 5, 2024, Trump won 312 electoral votes against his opponent, Kamala Harris, sweeping all seven swing states, including Nevada, marking its first Republican victory in two decades.
As Trump approaches the one-year mark of his presidency in January 2026, the reality is setting in: many of his promises remain unfulfilled. While older constituents who favored Trump’s assertive leadership continue to back him, the younger crowd—particularly Millennials and Gen Z—have begun to express their discontent.
CNN’s chief data analyst, Harry Enten mentioned recently that Latinos—once pivotal to Trump’s electoral success—are now disillusioned with his recent political maneuvers, significantly impacting their support.
This voter discontent comes largely in response to Trump’s stringent immigration policies and mass deportation efforts, which have spread chaos from Chicago to Washington, D.C., and now into North Carolina, resulting in incidents of abuse, arbitrary detentions, and widespread fear.
Jumping into the present political arena, Enten observed that Democratic gubernatorial contenders are faring better in heavily Latino districts—enjoying a notable 52-point advantage this year. New York City saw a rising star in Zohran Mamdani, the youngest and first Muslim mayor, whose campaign was unprecedentedly diverse and focused on actionable ticket items like free public transport, rent stabilization, and establishing grocery stores in each borough to help tackle rising food prices. In these inflationary times, New York’s costly reputation is undergoing even more scrutiny.
This year alone, grocery prices surged by 1.4% between January and September, while overall consumer prices rose by an average of 1.7% during Trump’s latest term. Even if inflation is not peaking like it did earlier in the year, prices show no sign of reprieve. Items like fertilizer, specific medicines, coffee, and beef especially have seen remarkable increases.
