Donald Trump’s supporters are growing increasingly frustrated with his agenda, particularly on issues such as affordability and economic populism. Pollsters have warned that the administration is not doing enough to address concerns about rising costs and inflation.
Conservative pollster Mark Mitchell told Trump that many of his supporters believe he hasn’t done enough to “drain the swamp” in Washington. Mitchell suggested that the president refocus with a plan to embrace pragmatic economic populism, but has been met with criticism for not pursuing this agenda aggressively enough.
Trump’s top advisers have taken note of the criticism from within MAGA and plan to increase his presence on social media and hold near-weekly rallies to tout his accomplishments. However, Trump again mocked the word “affordability” in a recent rally, indicating that he has yet to address these concerns.
Some supporters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have criticized Trump for not pursuing his agenda aggressively enough. Greene said that while many of Trump’s longtime supporters still want him to succeed, “the base is jaded.” She added that people understand that it takes time to stabilize the economy but are frustrated with Trump’s claims about affordability being a “Democrat hoax.”
Other conservative commentators have echoed this sentiment, saying that Trump has fallen short on issues such as deporting illegal immigrants and making life more affordable. They argue that his messaging has been lacking and that he needs to connect with his base on these issues.
Despite the criticism, some top populist voices in MAGA insist that Trump is course-correcting to win back support ahead of the midterms. They point out that Trump’s recent comments on deportation and tariffs show a harder populist nationalist stance, but acknowledge that it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to quell growing dissatisfaction with his agenda.
The White House has maintained that Trump is committed to delivering on his core campaign promises and fighting every day to make America greater than ever before. However, the growing chorus of criticism from within MAGA suggests that there may be more work to do to address the concerns of his base.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/12/15/trump-base-maga-midterm-voters