“This year I fear I have to choose between being homeless or going to university,” Tatiana from Virginia told us. “I can’t afford to go to school, have a car, go to work, and afford $1,100 minimum with roommates rent that most apartments ask for.”

That’s Donald Trump’s idea of an A+++ economy. Instead of recognizing the pain he’s caused to millions across the country, he continues to insist his economy is great. But it seems our gaslighter-in-chief has lost his touch — because the people aren’t falling for it.

Community Change Action asked 1,250 people how the economy treated them in 2025, and nearly 85% said they were in a worse financial position compared to the previous year. In addition to this overwhelmingly negative outlook for their pocketbooks, more than 500 people shared their stories with us about their economic challenges.

It was clear that Trump’s economy is bad for people young and old. Kaitlyn, a 28-year-old from Pennsylvania, said she’s been forced to move back in with her parents because she can’t afford rent after losing her job. To make matters worse, she just lost Medicaid coverage on her diabetes medicine.

Meanwhile, several retirement-age people told us they may have to go back to work because they can’t afford their basic needs.

After giving 30 years of her life to teaching, Sandra from North Carolina told us, “I don’t qualify for SNAP anymore, so I can only eat one ‘meal’ a day.” As her credit card debt grows, she fears “being one of the homeless elderly.”

What should be two of the greatest times in your life — just starting out with opportunities abounding, or finally enjoying your hard-earned retirement — are unreachable for the majority of people living in the United States. Our survey respondents reported widespread struggles with basic affordability – with nearly 77% saying they struggled to afford basic goods like groceries, clothing, or transportation.

Trump’s tariffs have not only been inflating prices, they’ve been impacting peoples’ ability to work. Rick, a truck driver from California who moves shipping containers in and out of ports said that since the tariffs started, he and his coworkers have had their hours cut significantly. “I feel very angry about the government decisions and all of us getting less work,” he said.

The struggles are compounded for those with disabilities. Michele, a single mother from Kansas, told us her and her 8-year-old son are both disabled and have had to forgo medications they need because they had to prioritize food. She said they receive just $77 a month for two people — that’s $1.28 per person per day to cover all their meals. 

“I ask each and every person that chooses to read this, to understand that you are only one illness, one wrong decision, one accident, one surprise diagnosis away from being in the exact same spot I am in today,” she said. “Living on disability from illness beyond my control with a beautiful young son, born with congenital birth issues, we are now both being essentially punished for reaching out to get the much needed assistance that was put into place by our government for unfortunate situations such as ours.”

Even families who were not previously on the cusp of poverty are struggling. Samantha from South Carolina said that this winter, for the first time, she wasn’t able to spend on a new winter coat for her kid.

“This is the reality of our family. This is also the reality for many families I know,” she added. “They’re families that would at one point have been considered middle class by income standards in America.”

Billie from Oregon is also having winter worries as their LiHEAP funds will only cover two months of winter. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, winter heating costs are up 9.2% this year.

In the same breath he insists that the economy is great, Trump blames immigrants for the struggles people are facing. But our survey found that his administration’s inhumane policies are only making everyone worse off.

People shared that they’re afraid for the possibility of their families being separated, which would cause not only emotional trauma, but financial trauma as well. People who employ immigrants are worried for their businesses. And even those who are not directly impacted shared that they’re afraid for their communities.

You might wonder what’s causing Trump’s delusion on the economy while millions are openly suffering. Maybe he actually believes his own lies. After all, the stock portfolios of his friends are getting along just fine — better than ever, really.

Or maybe, the cruelty is the point. 

Either way, people aren’t taking it sitting down. Hundreds of the folks who responded to our survey said they wanted to make their voices heard and get the real story of the economy out into the world.

Together, we can drown out the lies and begin to turn the tide.