As the holidays approach, Americans are growing increasingly frustrated with President Donald Trump, who they see as prioritizing billionaires over the everyday challenges draining family budgets.
While Trump boasts about securing trillions in investments from tech giants, most Americans are preoccupied with groceries, gas, and housing.
A new Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll of roughly 1,250 registered voters confirms this, showing inflation and the cost of living are the top concerns, while AI, cryptocurrency, small business regulations, and infrastructure rank as the lowest priorities.
“Affordability will be the buzzword of the 2026 election cycle,” said Sarah Selip, founder of 917 Strategies and former GOP House aide.
Since September, Trump has pushed multiple AI-related executive actions and attended at least three high-profile dinners with tech executives and foreign leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman, and the UK’s King Charles.
While the White House touts these moves as victories, Americans are focused on far more basic needs.
“Voters are frustrated,” said Brittany Martinez, executive director of right-leaning political firm Principles First. “While the administration touts billion-dollar announcements and high-profile corporate deals, most Americans are focused on whether they can afford groceries, gas, and a good life.”
The White House responded by blaming former President Joe Biden for the ongoing economic woes, as the Daily Mail reported.
Spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said, “After four years of economic calamity under Biden, American families will continue to feel economic relief in the months ahead as the positive effects of massive tax cuts, deregulation, and energy dominance continue to materialize.”
Despite the White House’s messaging, Trump’s approval rating matched his worst so far at 55 percent, and several top Cabinet officials, including Vice President JD Vance, saw declines in favorability.
Meanwhile, Democrats are seeing gains in public support. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) would beat Vance 43% to 36% in a 2028 matchup, while former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) would also defeat him.
“When families feel squeezed and Washington seems disconnected from their day-to-day reality, they naturally start exploring alternatives,” Martinez said. “The growing openness to progressive candidates in this poll is beyond ideology—it’s about urgency.”
Republican strategist Tristan Shakespeare echoed the sentiment.
“American families across the political spectrum are experiencing a growing sense of economic hopelessness,” he said. “When the average household can no longer afford groceries, housing, healthcare, and other basic essentials without falling further behind, it’s inevitable that people start searching for alternatives. Many feel abandoned by a system that claims to prioritize the broad public but consistently fails to deliver.”
This dissatisfaction is fueling interest in both progressive and dissident movements.
Shakespeare noted, “This disillusionment is manifesting as calls for National Socialism on the right and Democratic Socialism on the left.”
Trump campaigned heavily in 2024 on lowering costs that rose under Biden, but consumers have yet to see significant relief.
Democratic strategist Mike Nellis pointed to the disconnect between Trump’s promises and his actions.
“He made massive, huge promises that everything was going to get better, that everything was Joe Biden’s fault, but over the last year, people have watched him spend more time on vanity projects and enriching himself than actually delivering for the American people,” Nellis said.
The White House has even added a $300 million ballroom for larger gatherings with its billionaire allies, reinforcing the perception that Trump’s priorities are out of step with the everyday struggles of Americans. As inflation continues to bite, the latest polling suggests the White House may face growing trouble heading into 2026.
