A retired U.S. Air Force captain who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election has lashed out at the president amid soaring costs fueled partly by his war with Iran.
Kathryn Bright, 60, from Colorado, told the Associated Press she feels “disgusted with myself” for backing Trump, whom she said she was initially drawn to for his pledges to provide better care to veterans, “stop wars,” and reduce the cost of living.
“I feel betrayed, like he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Bright, who has several disabling medical conditions, said. “It’s like high school class president: ‘I’m gonna promise we are going to get pizza every single day,’” Bright said. “Then as soon as they get elected, they are like, ‘Oh, I lied.’”
Bright joins many of Trump’s own supporters who are angry with the president as oil prices continue to rise while Americans struggle with the cost of living.
Trump initially presented his military intervention in Iran as a regime-change operation, but it has since morphed into a rapidly expanding war that has led to the blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
The unpopular conflict is costing U.S. taxpayers almost $900 million a day.
A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Trump’s approval rating on the economy slumped 8 percentage points from March to April, from 38 percent to 30 percent.
Meanwhile, just 33 percent of American adults approve of the president’s overall job performance, down from 38 percent in March.
Nearly three-quarters of American adults described the country’s economy as “very” or “somewhat” poor in April. That percentage was nearer two-thirds in February.
With no end to the conflict in sight, costs are likely to soar further for Americans.
Trump announced in a statement on social media that he would extend a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to facilitate peace negotiations. He also said he would continue a U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports, which Tehran considers an act of war.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
