Some Michigan swing voters disapprove of Trump's start
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
President Trump answers reporters' questions in the Oval Office on March 12. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Some Michigan swing voters who backed President Trump have expressed dissatisfaction and confusion with his performance so far, especially when it comes to the economy.
The big picture: Many of these voters — participants in our latest Engagious/Sago focus group on Tuesday — are surprised by Trump's "aggressive" behavior this time around.
- The responses may be a sign that Trump is overplaying his mandate.
Zoom in: All 13 participants voted for former President Biden in 2020 and Trump last year. The group included two Detroiters, a small-business owner from Birmingham, and an auto worker from Chesterfield Township who was just furloughed for six weeks.
- The participants included eight independents, four Republicans and one Democrat.
What they're saying: Trump's appeal was based on his ability to fight inflation and steer the economy in the right direction.
- "I think that he should be more focused on fulfilling his promises for working-class people. And I feel like he should be less focused on cutting ties with the rest of the world and trying to make his mark by renaming things that are inconsequential to everyday people," said Michael L., 43, of Commerce Township.
- "I was voting for him based off of the economy the first time around, and I'm seeing a significant decline versus even just the previous presidency," said Samantha S., 31, of Birmingham.
The other side: The three participants who approve of Trump's earliest actions said that while they may not agree with everything, overall they feel he is getting things done.
The latest: Trump's trade war escalated Thursday with a threat to impose massive levies on European wine and Champagne.
- Meanwhile, the likelihood of an extended auto industry disruption due to tariffs was set at 50% on Thursday by S&P Global Mobility, the Free Press reports.
- Focus group member Sheryl B., an auto assembly worker from Chesterfield Township, said she recently accepted a six-week furlough that was offered due to "lack of work — we are not building any cars right now."
The intrigue: Just one of the 10 voters who disapprove of Trump now said he would vote for former Vice President Harris instead if he could vote again.
Zoom out: The Michigan focus group, which is not a statistically significant sample like a poll, shows how some voters are thinking and talking about current events.
The bottom line: The voters' negative views of Trump's first weeks in office but disinterest in Harris reflect a broader crisis facing the Democratic Party: Disapproval of Trump does not automatically translate to support for Democrats.
- "Just because these swing voters discovered they don't like the taste of wheatgrass juice, it doesn't mean they long to swallow castor oil," said Rich Thau, who moderated Tuesday's discussion and is president of Engagious, a company that conducts focus groups on political and business topics.