The great disruptor loses ground. 51% of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump’s work, compared to 43% who approve, says the Economist/Yougov survey, published on April 9. This represents a setback of 14 points compared to the figures that marked this same survey on January 20, the day of taking possession: 49% approved it and 43% disapproved.
Don’t you like The Economist or do other measurements prefer? The consumer confidence report made by the University of Michigan registers a 11 -point drop in April and is 30 points below the level it had in December. Expectations deteriorate when Americans are asked about their personal finances and income perspectives; inflation; Labor market and business environment.
This measurement made by the University of Michigan is relevant for many reasons, at this time it must be highlighted that it is a barometer that monitors some of the issues that defined the electoral contest. Trump won because he knew how to convince voters that he had more capacity to “rescue” the economy. He found a hearing impregnated with pessimism about the functioning of the economy and eager to find simple answers to complex problems.
You put on the balance, what weighs more for Americans, the greatness of America or the little big issues that assemble the puzzle of its personal economy? According to The Economist/Yougov, the main concern expressed is the increase in prices. Secondly, there is the labor market and the economy, in third place, the health system. Number four corresponds to taxes and government spending. In five, human rights and in six climate change and environmental issues.
It is not so weird that the podium of concerns first has inflation and thirdly to the health system. It is worth remembering that the administration of Kamala Harris already hit inflation. From the Health Care, it is enough to say that the health crisis that was triggered with the COVID was one of the factors that cost Trump re -election in 2020.
The binational agenda that Trump is promoting with Mexico gives enormous importance to migration and security issues. For Americans are their number seven and eight concerns. This agenda was not placed in such a prominent place of the Trumpist government for the surveys. You will not disappear or give your place to other issues, even if you fall to number 15 in the next surveys.
Is the US president interpreted well, the two two? Rather, are you designing the policies that will bring more employment and reactivate the economy? The most recognized experts are sure that Trump is wrong, but this businessman/politician boasts of knowing more than the specialists. The truth is that, in the short term, economic perspectives have worsened with Trump. The risk of a recession in 2025 has gone from being below 25% to levels greater than 60%. The share markets have lived three months of extreme volatility, to a large extent, trapped in the web of uncertainty caused by the words and actions that emanate from the White House.
How will Americans react to a deterioration of economic conditions, derived from the hardening of commercial war and other controversial decisions? Trump’s messages, calls not to be weak and trust a chaotic agenda are directed to a polarized society. His greatest popularity is in men; under 44 years; White race and with high school levels or less. It is a demographic group that supports Trump with more intensity than eight years ago.
The president is in a hurry and wants his schedule for changes to be made as soon as possible. This is clear in the first weeks of his second period in the White House. He does not want what happened in 2017, when he let the magical moment of possession pass and lost the opportunity to make the background changes that, in his opinion, the United States needs. He is not a friend of Mark Zuckerberg, but follows his mover Move Fast and Break Things. That looks good in a decal put in a pick up, but it generates confusion when that means breaking alliances that had been decades or breaking value chains of strategic industries that cost a lot of work to build. Can you repair what you are breaking? Who will do it and when?
