We’re approaching the 100-day point of this second Trump administration – and for many of us, it may seem hard to believe that it has only been 100 days. The constant daily barrage of bad news, disturbing executive orders – some of which are being (or will be) challenged in court but are still unsettling – and increasing economic stress, combined with the stripping of human rights, has been a lot to absorb in a relatively short time. It has all been mentally exhausting and, at times, terrifying. 

Donald Trump presented himself as someone who would help the working class if he were re-elected, promising to lower the cost of eggs, gas, and other essentials, while repeating refrains about “bringing back American jobs” while pushing his tariffs and anti-immigration policies. Yet evidence shows costs aren’t decreasing – and economists and major retailers have warned that his tariffs will lead to higher prices and supply shortages.  

Among the many people who are very afraid right now are those who rely on safety net programs to meet their needs for basic survival. Major programs like SNAP and Medicaid face the likelihood of significant cuts as Republicans look for ways to slash $1.5 trillion from the budget to offset major tax cuts that will primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans. 

For many, this has created a lot of anxiety and a feeling of impending disaster. “Between threatened cuts to services at both the federal and state levels, to put it bluntly, as a person with cerebral palsy, I’m beyond frightened,” says Justin Smith, 26, of Roseville, Minnesota. “My life as I’m currently living it, that I’ve worked so hard at pulling together over the past eight years, feels as if it could implode. If any of these benefits or programs are cut or go away, living independently – something I’ve worked so hard to make happen – could fall apart. I understand that things fall apart, but the thought of it is terrifying.”

Smith is an unpaid blogger, writer, and disability rights activist who requires round-the-clock support services. He doesn’t have paid employment due to his disability, and his sole source of income is SSI benefits of $967 a month. He relies on Medicaid and the Developmental Disability (DD) Waiver for his healthcare and direct support staff who provide 24-hour care. He also receives SNAP benefits to help pay for food, and a Section 8 voucher to pay for housing. 

“I can’t believe I have to say it, but cutting Medicaid, waivered services, or making it more difficult to access these services, will be devastating for me and so many others with disabilities,” says Smith. “Medicaid covers the costs of my medical care, treatment, durable medical equipment, staffing, and more.” 

Now that he has turned 26, Smith has “aged out” of eligibility for coverage under his parents’ health insurance, so his Medicaid insurance is critical to cover his medical expenses, including the cost of a recent two-day hospital stay. “The costs of living with a disability could bankrupt many families,” he says, adding that, among other medical expenses, he requires a lot of expensive specialized equipment.

“The thing is, my medical costs and need for care do not go away when funding gets decreased or disappears,” Smith says. “It just means that those of us with disabilities and our families will struggle more than we already do. There will be very real people with disabilities who will end up going without needed care or moving from less costly care in their communities to more institutionalized care (unless that’s all cut, too!).” 

Smith notes his housing voucher is the only thing that allows him to afford the wheelchair-accessible apartment where he has lived for the past three years. Without that voucher, he says he would no longer be able to live independently. 

In addition to possible major cuts to safety net programs, Republicans are also pushing for substantial changes to program policies and eligibility requirements. Proposed ideas range from ramping up work requirements to banning soda and junk food purchases with SNAP benefits. The latter is the latest example of ways that safety net program participants often feel robbed of both their dignity and their agency. It also fails to consider that many regions of the country are considered food deserts, and residents in those communities who lack transportation options may only have access to gas stations and convenience stores. “I don’t like the idea of the government telling me what foods I can and cannot purchase,” says Kim, 56, of West Virginia. 

Although she hasn’t noticed any issues or changes to her benefits so far, Kim fears things will get worse in the near future. She especially worries that this administration may try to villainize those who rely on safety net programs or use them as a distraction and potential scapegoat for the frustrations of people who are facing rising expenses that stretch their budgets. 

 “Because when the price of eggs is so high and the prices for everything else increase even more, people are going to resent those of us getting ‘free food,’” she says. 

The fact that the vast majority of those making policy decisions – especially in the Trump administration – are so far removed from the realities of living in poverty may make it easier for them to make arbitrary decisions without appreciating the real-life impact that will have on vulnerable people. 

After a three-year period during which she was homeless and at times living in a motel, Donna Swafford is grateful to finally have a stable housing situation thanks to subsidized housing. “The whole time we were homeless, we lived each day in fight or flight.” 

Swafford, of Baltimore, Maryland, feels the people at the highest level of this administration can’t understand or relate to the challenges and fears of those who are struggling. “The past three months have been filled with the added stress of a government that is filled with people who have never wanted [anything], nor went without, and have no understanding of what sacrifice is. How can they care for a country of different people if the ultra-rich have never experienced such things?” 

Although no longer worried about housing, Swafford has anxiety about lots of other issues. She worries every day that ICE will arrive and target some of her neighbors. She has been struggling to get medical care for herself and her son, who has autism. Recently, she has also noticed delays and staffing problems at government agencies. She applied for SSI benefits for her son, but hasn’t yet received a call back for an in-person appointment.

Swafford says she wouldn’t be able to survive without the safety net benefits she relies on and tries not to imagine what it would be like to lose them. The current national developments are so stressful that she avoids watching the news. “I’m sickened,” she says. 

That feeling of dread is shared by many other vulnerable Americans, including Smith. As he wrote in a recent blog post, “it all feels very heavy right now. I’m not feeling hopeful. I’m just feeling like I am in a horror movie and it’s not going to end well for me or my friends with disabilities.” 

What’s next 

Congress has returned to D.C. after a recess, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he aims to get a budget ready for Trump’s approval by Memorial Day. That’s an ambitious goal that will require them to move quickly, so we expect a flurry of frantic activity as they rush to determine exactly what cuts they hope to implement. But we’re prepared to fight these cuts, which are wildly unpopular across the board, and we will be holding those who harm our communities accountable.