President Donald Trump insists that anyone who doubts the strength of the economy is wrong, while his own voters are brought to tears describing the financial struggles they’re facing.
During a segment aired by MS NOW on Thursday, an Ohio mother who voted for Trump was asked whether the president had delivered what she expected. Her answer was blunt: “I hoped it was going to be so much better.”
“You can’t do anything,” the Ohio mother said, describing how rising gas prices have made it difficult to “afford to breathe at this point,” before admitting she felt “hurt” by what she sees happening in the country.
“Sorry, I cry. I try to do a lot for my kids, and I can’t do much,” she said through tears.
MS NOW host Ali Vitali commented on the heartbreaking footage, highlighting that the clip was a good reminder that “politics is important” but that “people are at the center of it.”
The emotional clip captured a growing problem for Republicans, as Trump voters are becoming frustrated with the president’s policies, fueling concerns among GOP lawmakers that he could become a liability heading into the midterms.
Trump has repeatedly insisted the economy is booming, but many voters say they are feeling the squeeze of rising costs.
In response to a request for comment, a White House spokesperson did not push back on concerns over high prices, instead arguing that costs had fallen after Trump signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran and “will plummet again when President Trump forces a successful resolution with Iran.”
“The Trump economic agenda has a proven track record of raising real wages, creating jobs, and securing key investments, and the Administration remains focused on implementing this agenda for America’s long-term prosperity,” the spokesperson added.
According to an analysis by the conservative super PAC Americans for Prosperity Action, Republican turnout enthusiasm has become a concern heading into the November elections. The group found that one in five reliable GOP voters in Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Montana, New Hampshire, and Michigan was considering either staying home or voting for Democrats.
Polling numbers are also not in the president’s favor: just 32 percent of voters approve of Trump’s economic performance, and Democrats have overtaken Republicans on economic trust for the first time in nearly a decade.
Despite the evidence, the president has dismissed affordability concerns as a “hoax,” and at a Las Vegas rally on Wednesday he again that declared his administration had delivered the “greatest economy we’ve ever had by far,” while accusing polls showing public dissatisfaction of being “fake.”
Trump has also already laid the groundwork for a potential excuse if Republicans lose their majority in the midterms. In an interview with Punchbowl News published Friday, the president suggested that any failure to turn out would reflect frustration with the party—not him—saying, “They’re angry at Republicans, but they’re not angry at me.”
Yet, an MS NOW segment from June featuring Trump voters—including some who have supported him in every election since 2016—showed frustration aimed directly at the president. “The average American is struggling to make ends meet right now. And nobody wants to hear ‘the war’s almost over.’ Nobody wants to hear ‘it’s gonna get better,’” said Chris Tackett, a three-time Trump voter from Ohio who works as a truck driver.
“You’ve had a year to make it better at this point. Make it better. ‘Make America Great Again,’ right?” Tackett asked.
Similarly, a recent segment on Morning Joe featured voters expressing anger over Trump’s personal enrichment while in office, after his financial disclosure revealed he earned more than $2 billion in 2025 as many Americans continued struggling to afford basic expenses like groceries.
“It’s frustrating that you see your president getting richer and richer, and the middle class is getting poorer, and that’s about it,” said Allen Warfield, who was interviewed for the segment.
