Gasoline prices are rising, as are the costs of living. The rising prices in the US are causing great discontent, including among President Trump's voters. Will his tariffs and the war in Iran turn out to be big mistakes?
The burgers and beer at Chris Campbell's bar in Denver, Colorado, have not been this expensive in 20 years, writes ARD. The German public media outlet reports that he has tried to keep prices stable, which is proving to be a real challenge. "We look at the menu dish by dish and wonder what we can do, because I realize that my customers are also suffering from rising prices," he says.
According to Chris, the economic policy of the Republicans - for tax cuts and government spending cuts is better than that of the Democrats. That's why he voted for Donald Trump three times. In the last election, he seemed like the lesser evil.
And Trump voters are turning away from him
Chris Campbell, however, is disappointed - he believes that Donald Trump has not kept his most crucial promise of "America First". It's not just the bar owner who thinks so, ARD points out. As the polls show, fewer and fewer Americans are satisfied with the president's administration. Moreover, the economy and migration were the topics with which Trump secured the votes of his voters. And now the high cost of living in the US could become his Achilles' heel, the German public media predicts.
In November, the US is holding midterm elections, the outcome of which could limit the president's power. And his policies undoubtedly have an impact on the results.
The broken promise
Analyst Desmond Lachman from the American Enterprise Institute focuses on the connections between politics and economics. The fact that everything will become cheaper was a promise that, from Lachman's point of view, could not have been kept by other presidents, writes ARD.
However, there is a specific problem with Trump - he promised exactly that - that is, too much. Added to this is the fact that the tariffs he imposed are paid - unlike the promised - mainly by American companies and consumers, as surveys show. It was Trump's Republicans who refused to extend the special state subsidies for health insurance. In addition, gasoline prices continue to rise due to the war with Iran.
"I don't want to pay for the wars"
The rising costs of health insurance and fuel prices are topics that particularly concern Aubrey Hicks from the Denver area. "I don't want to pay for the wars", the woman told ARD, who would prefer her taxes to be spent on more affordable medical care. As Hicks told the German public media, she now pays 30 percent more than last year.
In many cases, health insurance in the United States only pays when the cost of treatment exceeds $9,600 a year. That's why Hicks had to pay $4,000 out of pocket for a colonoscopy prescribed by a doctor. She doesn't feel politically affiliated with any party and is disappointed by both Republicans and Democrats.
From the researcher's point of view, Lachman sees the cost of living issue as a dangerous one for Republicans in the midterm elections. Trump is making a mistake that former President Joe Biden made: telling people they are better off than they actually are.
U.S. elections are traditionally decided by economic policy
Lachmann doesn't think gas prices will stabilize anytime soon - even if the war with Iran ends quickly. Because so much of the energy infrastructure there has been destroyed. According to a “Reuters“ poll, only 29% of Americans surveyed support Trump's economic policies - the lowest level in his two terms. ARD recalls that the slogan has long been valid in the USA - “The economy, stupid!“. Therefore, the media emphasizes that the economy will be a decisive factor in the elections this time too.