Op-ed: Trump’s Economic Policies Are Kicking In—And the Least Among Us Are About to Get Hit.

Op-ed: Trump’s Economic Policies Are Kicking In—And the Least Among Us Are About to Get Hit.

OP-ED – Yetunde Babajide.

The headliner…

As the clock ticks, so does Donald Trump’s presidency, spiraling further into an economic abyss.

His second term has begun with disaster and instability, leaving many Americans in shock and uncertainty.

Many now openly declare that Trump’s economic policies have been disastrous for the average American family.

Trump’s relentless push toward economic ruin is not something many economists see as sustainable in the long run either—just as everyday Americans are already feeling the effects of Trump’s economic disaster, to say the least.

While his policies may temporarily benefit his inner circle—with accusations of stock manipulation leveled against Trump and his allies—the broader impact could devastate vulnerable families, not just in America but across the world in the most catastrophic way possible.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Trump’s tariffs are disrupting corporate profits, shaking investor confidence, and leading to stagnation in critical sectors.

It remains unclear whether Trump fully understands the consequences of his tariffs on consumer confidence and the economy at large.

From the moment Trump reapplied tariffs across the board, economic reports and statistics have indicated a downward spiral.

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, inflation has remained above 6%, further squeezing the budgets of everyday Americans.

In an ideal world, inflation should be around 2% – a moderate rate that helps maintain economic stability.

But with inflation above 6%, prices of goods and services are rising at an alarming rate, making everyday purchases even more expensive.

This level of inflation reduces purchasing power, meaning that for everyday American families, wages may not keep up with rising costs, causing financial strain for households.

What’s most alarming is that Trump’s sweeping tariffs were never part of his campaign promises.

Had voters known, many might have reconsidered their support, realizing they were voting against their own financial interests.

Now, as prices skyrocket and economic indicators show signs of a slowdown, Americans are waking up to the reality of Trump’s disastrous economic policies with no end in sight.

Reports show that the U.S. economy has shrunk for the first time in three years, with markets reacting negatively to Trump’s reckless tariff policies.

Instead of addressing the rising cost of goods, Trump has manufactured a non-emergency immigration crisis—a cover-up for his economic mismanagement.

He promised that prices would go down, claiming that only he could fix it.

Yet today, Walmart and other major retailers are raising prices at unprecedented rates, leaving consumers wondering whether Trump’s economic policies are a disaster for America—and none of this has anything to do with Miguel or Rodriguez, undocumented immigrants simply trying to survive here in America.

Today, with Trump’s unlimited tariffs applied recklessly, everyday Americans are feeling the strain. No wage increases have been provided, nor is there any sign of relief on the horizon.

Meanwhile, mom-and-pop grocery stores—which many Americans rely on in their neighborhood—are struggling to survive under the weight of higher import costs.

Many shelves in neighborhood stores sit empty, as businesses struggle to maintain inventory due to Trump’s tariff policies.

One store owner confessed that delivery costs have changed drastically, leaving small businesses to accommodate only what their money can afford, while consumers struggle with limited availability of everyday commodities.

In some popular stores, certain name-brand items—impacted by tariffs, cost-cutting measures, and profit-margin maximization—have now been replaced with unfamiliar products that resemble name-brand items but taste noticeably different, sometimes taste weird.

Recent labor statistics show slow economic growth, with reports from McKinsey & Company essentially portray the American economy under Trump as a nightmare.

A recent WSJ article, featuring insights from McKinsey’s CFO, discusses how tariffs are disrupting corporate profits and supply chains, creating economic headwinds.

Despite Biden leaving Trump with an economy on the right trajectory, Trump’s first 100 days have been marked by job losses, with many notable American supply chains collapsing.

A similar trend is visible at the federal level, with the self-created TRUMP-DOGE agency forcing thousands of employees to resign under vague allegations of inefficiency.

These are everyday Americans whose livelihoods will be impacted significantly due to job losses.

Yet, instead of addressing these concerns, Trump has used immigration as a cover-up, diverting media attention away from his economic failures.

Consumers today are afraid to spend, fearing the instability of Trump’s economic woes, which could tilt purchasing power into negative territory—similar to the economic turmoil during his COVID-19 mismanagement.

As the world watches Trump’s economic chaos unfold, it remains unclear what his tariffs have actually achieved—if anything at all.

Especially in light of Trump’s repeated concessions to China, even as they refused to budge to his whims and caprices amid his disastrous tariff policies.

The question now becomes whether Trump’s economic policy—where tariffs enrich the elite while millions struggle—can remain viable over the next 100 days or beyond in Trump’s presidency.

As it stands, Trump continues to overlook skyrocketing food prices and other critical issues affecting everyday American families, while wages remain stagnant.

Instead, he has consistently used his manufactured immigration crisis as a distraction to absolve himself of presidential responsibility, avoiding his campaign promise to ensure that the cost of goods remains affordable for everyday Americans

Today, as small businesses struggle to maintain inventory, and everyday Americans are caught in Trump’s political quagmire of tariffs and inefficiency, Trump and his inner circle continue to enrich themselves, leaving little for the very people who trusted him with power—the political will and the campaign promise that only he could fix it and bring the cost of food down.

With Trump’s presidency in turmoil of his own making, he has handed himself immigration as a lifeline, while other critical areas of American life remain neglected and unaddressed.

For Trump, as long as he stays in the news, being flattered by sycophants and maintaining his image as the iron man whose sole mission is to hunt down ‘illegal’ immigrants wherever they may be, nothing else matters.

But what happened to the American economy—our prosperity, way of life, and ability to put food on the table?

How this president, with his unending tariffs across the board, intends to turn it all around remains to be seen.

Yetunde B reports for Yeyetunde’s Blog.