Donald Trump defeated his not-so-democratically-selected opponent, Kamala Harris, by 86 electoral seats and over 2 million votes in November. On his path to victory, Trump won every battleground state, with Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada all pulling the lever for the 45th and 47th president of the United States.
But now, the easy part is over, and despite the language of the Trump administration, we’re not living in campaign mode anymore. We’re living in “it’s time to deliver” mode. And right now, Trump is not delivering on the issue that matters most to the vast majority of people.
Yes, his base will enjoy tertiary victories, such as renaming the “Gulf of Mexico,” as well as important cultural victories, such as the defeat of wokeness and diversity, equity, and inclusion. But despite what his avid collection of supporters will claim, that’s not why he won.
Prior to the election, Pew Research Center polled voters on the concerns that would drive their decision on Nov. 5. Issues such as “climate change” and “racial and ethnic inequality” were lowest on the list, while concerns such as “foreign policy,” “violent crime,” and “immigration” were in the middle, with predictable party-line splits.
But the stand-out issue? The economy, with 81% of all voters saying the economy was very important to their vote (made up of 93% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats). That was the most important issue to all voters by 16 points, the most important issue to Trump supporters by 11 points, and only “health care” and “Supreme Court appointments” were deemed more important by Harris supporters.
Make no mistake: Trump was elected to fix the economy. Yes, the border and foreign policy were factors too, and factors that his administration is handling far more effectively, but it’s impossible to deny that the issue that made his campaign was the economy.
It’s also a problem that will make or break his second term in office. Currently, “a 56% majority of the public disapproves of his handling of the economy,” according to CNN. And this is what Trump has to remember.
Trump’s obsession with an entirely unnecessary tariff war has sparked widespread uncertainty throughout the markets, with people’s 401(k) balances declining faster than Mel Gibson’s career in Hollywood. And while the MAGA movement is pumping out its own version of “inflation is transitory,” Trump’s tariffs on nations such as Canada and Mexico will only deliver something between geopolitical foolishness and financial disaster.
Yes, he’s asking people to be patient despite tariffs having a demonstrated history of failure, but he’s asking them to be patient along an unacceptable timeline, both economically and politically. Even if Trump does deliver on his promises, people who were already struggling under former President Joe Biden’s economy, people who voted for Trump, don’t have years (or even months) to wait for this supposedly immeasurable wealth that is just over the nearest hill.
CARVILLE CLAIMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS IN ‘TOTAL MELTDOWN’
You know who else doesn’t have years to wait? Trump. The midterm elections are less than 600 days away, and if the economic chaos of Trump’s tariff wars continues, what happens to the Republican Party’s razor-thin majority? It evaporates.
It’s time for Trump to get back to what made his first administration a success: unleashing the economy, closing the border, and putting out fires on the world stage. Cosplaying President William McKinley and crashing the stock market isn’t part of that plan.
Ian Haworth is a syndicated columnist, speaker, and podcast host. You can find him on Substack and follow him on X at @ighaworth.