Pennsylvania Voters React to Trump’s Increasing Wealth While in Office

On Wednesday, President Trump arrived to speak at an event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His financial disclosures indicate a significant increase in wealth since taking office for a second term, with family businesses reporting $2.2 billion in revenue, mainly from cryptocurrency. However, voters in Pennsylvania show mixed opinions about this development.

According to two online focus groups observed by NPR, participants expressed varied views regarding Trump’s financial gain. These focus groups included 12 Pennsylvania voters. Half of the participants felt ‘troubled’ by the financial windfall, while the other half were unperturbed.

Todd A., a 62-year-old independent voter, shared, “When it comes to ethics, moral and financial, I think that just about every politician is corrupt.” He added, “So, the fact that he’s a known huckster… we’ve known that for years about him.”

Rich Thau, who moderated the focus groups, noted the cynicism among voters. He explained, “The excuses they gave, which is, ‘This is the kind of thing that rich people do. They use money to make more money. All politicians do this kind of thing. They’re all corrupt…’ indicates extremely cynical voters with remarkably low expectations for politicians.” Thau is the president of Engagious, a messaging firm that partners with market researcher Sago and NPR to conduct monthly focus groups with swing voters nationwide.

Although these focus groups are not polling, they provide insight into how voters who supported Trump feel about their decision. A recent survey showed most voters are concerned about corruption in American government, but Pennsylvania participants were divided on Trump’s actions.

Betsy D., a 48-year-old Republican, viewed Trump’s behavior as typical for a businessman and politician. “I’m not saying it’s OK,” she remarked, “I’m just not troubled by it because I think it’s typical for politicians to increase their wealth while in office.” Ken J., a 44-year-old Republican, expressed minimal concern about Trump’s increased wealth, questioning its legality. “He’s a businessman,” he stated, “He openly admitted it. He plans to continue running his empire while in office.” Ken acknowledged potential issues with insider trading or kickbacks but felt they were not applicable in this case.

Some voters, like Bhavana G., a 54-year-old independent, expressed discomfort with Trump’s earnings. “For me, when I see that, the first thing that comes to my mind is abuse of power,” she said, arguing Trump’s actions should be seen as morally wrong.

Margaret M., a 58-year-old independent voter, expressed concern about the influence of business partners on Trump. “I would just be worried that whoever he’s doing business with would then have his ear a little bit more,” she explained.

Focus Group Takeaways:

Politicians’ Health: Eight out of 12 participants believe members of Congress should disclose serious health issues if absent for extended periods, while four voters argued they deserve privacy.

Conflict with Iran: Only seven of 12 voters were aware the U.S. is back in armed conflict with Iran. Furthermore, only two participants were confident Trump could end the war this year.