While on the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to fix mostly rural and small-town industries across America and dubbed farmers the backbone of America. However, his presidential agenda will harm these very communities. The Center for American Progress stated that in the rural and small-town counties that President Trump won, one-third of families live paycheck to paycheck. Their reality will worsen because of him—and here are the ways how.
Rural farmers continue to worry about tariffs
Trump’s tariffs will increase the costs of many essential goods and equipment for farmers like clothing, tractors and farming supplies. Farmers could also face worse losses than any other economic sector from Trump’s plans to implement sweeping tariffs on imports.
White women stop benefitting from DEI
Statistically, white women—not Black people—benefit the most from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. With Trump attacking DEI on all sides—from company hiring practices to higher education to the military—white women stand to lose the most.
Federal workers are being harassed by DOGE
Even if they voted for Donald Trump, federal workers received an email on over the weekend instructing them to document five things they accomplished in the past week. The message was sent by Elon Musk, the head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. Musk said those who don’t reply would risk losing their jobs—and this is most likely just the beginning of the harassment.
Lives of legal immigrants are in jeopardy
Immigrants who voted for Trump believed that since they had legal status, they would be safe from his wrath. However, since Trump’s November victory, immigration officers have been stationed in cities around the country who are in search of illegal immigrants—placing everyone’s lives in danger.
Small-town public schools could be destabilized
Public school in more rural places would likely be destabilized even more than urban school districts if Trump follows through with expanding “school choice.” Ultimately, parents would be provided with vouchers to send their kids to private schools.
Rural hospitals will face greater strain
Rural hospitals and other health providers will most likely experience the biggest strain since Trump wants to to slash spending on Medicaid. Medicaid provides coverage to more adults in smaller communities than in larger cities.
Abolishing FEMA will hurt all Americans
Trump said he would sign an executive order to study abolishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The agency provides disaster recovery grants and other assistance to states, cities, and individuals recovering from natural and man-made disasters. Most recently, FEMA funds have gone the most to states that voted for Trump in 2024.
Tariffs would lower American incomes
Trump promised to utilize tariffs during his second term and his supporters were on board. However, the Peterson Institute for International Economics has estimated Trump’s proposed tariffs would lower the incomes of Americans. The impact ranges from around 4% for the poorest fifth to around 2% for the wealthiest fifth.
U.S. farm workforce may be uprooted
America’s farmers will have to deal with the Trump administration uprooting a huge part of their workforce as he threatens to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. According to the USDA, more than two-thirds of U.S. crop workers are foreign born.
Trump supporters have lost their federal jobs
As a part of the Trump’s administration’s mass government layoffs, those who voted for Trump and lived in red states lost their federal jobs. Some lamented on social media about it hoping to garner sympathy, but the complaints were met with ire.
Republican lawmakers question Trump’s leadership
Last month, Republicans were taken aback by Trump’s order to immediately pause the disbursement of funds under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The conservative lawmakers were concerned Trump would stop funding to vital projects in their home states. Trump’s budget office insisted it would not freeze funding for roads and bridges and drinking water projects.
Groceries will continue to be unaffordable in rural areas
Four years ago, Mexico was responsible for almost two-thirds of U.S. vegetable imports and nearly half of U.S. fruit and tree nut imports, per the U.S. Agriculture Department. Tariff prices means groceries and imported items like tomatoes, peppers and raspberries will increase.
Housing will become less accessible
America is already dealing with a housing shortage and new housing remains expensive to build. However, tariffs on building materials will only exacerbate this cost. The National Association of Home Builders stated that over 70% of the imports of two essential building materials, softwood lumber and gypsum (a component used in drywall), come from Canada and Mexico.