Americans Struggle with Affordability as Economic Claims Clash with Reality
Despite President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that the US economy is "roaring back," many American workers are finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities. An exclusive poll reveals cross-party concerns about the administration's handling of economic issues, with individuals from various states reporting financial strain.
Personal Stories Highlight Widespread Hardship
Dawn Levie, a 61-year-old postal service worker in Paulden, Arizona, has lost thousands in earnings due to cuts in her hours, making it challenging to pay for groceries and utility bills. "It's hard to describe how you feel when you can't sustain your livelihood because your money is impacted," Levie said. "You can't pay bills, and creditors get mad. How do you tell them: 'I just don't have it?'"
Bryan Williams, a 63-year-old home-care worker in Madison, Wisconsin, lives paycheck to paycheck on $17.65 an hour. "I know things are worse, because I'm living it and I feel it every day," Williams explained. "It's very hard trying to pay rent, pay your bills, buy food, gas and juggle which ones you can pay and which ones you can let go."
Vernice Thompson, a 63-year-old retail worker in Williamsburg, Virginia, noted that housing consumes half her income, despite receiving social security benefits. "Groceries have gone up. The prices of a lot of the foods that I like have gone up," Thompson said. "I know the price of clothing too because I work in retail, and I haven't seen any declines in the price of clothing. Everything is going up."
Data Reveals Rising Costs and Stagnant Wages
Economic indicators support these personal accounts. Food prices were 2.9% higher in January 2026 compared to the previous year, with a predicted increase of 3.1% over the next year. The food insecurity rate spiked to 16% in November 2025, up from 12.7% in January 2025. Utility prices in the US increased by more than 6% in January 2026 compared to a year prior.
Household debt has surged, with total debt reaching $18.8 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 4% increase since the beginning of the year. Delinquency rates for all types of debt rose to 3.26% in the same period, up from 1.7% in 2024. Credit card debt hit a record $1.28 trillion by the end of 2025.
Wage growth has stagnated for many workers. The lowest 10% of wage earners, averaging $14.56 an hour, saw their wages decline by 0.3% when adjusted for inflation in 2025. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour, unchanged since 2009. In contrast, high-income Americans have seen wages grow twice as fast as low and middle wages since 1979.
Policy Decisions Exacerbate Financial Pressures
The Trump administration's policies have contributed to these challenges. US families paid over $1,700 in estimated costs due to tariffs from February 2025 to January 2026, with new tariffs announced to replace those struck down by the Supreme Court. Additionally, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last summer included cuts exceeding $1 trillion from Medicaid, $536 billion from Medicare, and $186 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire, potentially raising health insurance premiums for 22 million Americans by an estimated 114% in 2026. The administration has also rescinded an executive order that raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 an hour, impacting over 300,000 workers, and is attempting to remove overtime protections for nearly 4 million home-care workers.
White House Defends Economic Record
Despite these issues, the White House maintains a positive outlook. At a rally in Kentucky, Trump stated, "Inflation is plummeting, income is rising, the economy is roaring back!" White House spokesperson Kush Desai emphasized, "America's economic trajectory under President Trump has been solid. This week's CPI report showed inflation continues to cool while the Administration's tax cut, tariff, and deregulatory agenda continues to drive robust real wage and investment growth."
However, workers like Crystal Franklin, a 54-year-old US passport specialist in Dumfries, Virginia, express skepticism. "We're not able to do what we used to be able to do because cost of living has gone up extremely high," Franklin said, noting she has cut back on leisure expenses for her grandchildren. Bryan Williams added, "I don't believe anything Trump says because everything he promised us he was going to do did not happen."
As the midterm elections approach, the disconnect between official economic claims and the lived experiences of many Americans remains a critical issue, highlighting ongoing struggles with affordability in the current political climate.
