President Donald Trump rose to prominence in part because of voter perception of his business and economic acumen, and his populist appeals to a coalition of mostly white, working-class voters who’ve long felt locked out of economic mobility by Democratic policies perceived as elitist and out-of-touch. Nevermind that Trump was born to rich parents and is himself a billionaire. During the 2024 election, Trump and the GOP walloped the Biden administration for rising inflation and economic volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The president’s rhetorical approach to kitchen table issues like employment, wages, and energy prices helped to expand and diversify his winning electorate that year, making him the second person in U.S. history to be voted to two non-consecutive presidential terms.
