CNN didn’t quite venture into the heartland of America for this segment, but it was still far enough away from the progressive bastion of New York City to find Trump supporters who still strongly support the president’s agenda. The news network stopped by the Tick Tock Diner in Clifton, New Jersey (great diner, by the way) this month and found voters who felt safer with Trump as president, supported his views on health care, and felt he was keeping his promises.
Host Brooke Baldwin spoke with Trump supporter Nicole Collins, who credits the president with starting a frank discussion about the repeal of Obamacare. Marko Kepi felt that Trump has kept his word, while noting the legal obstacles that have come from his travel ban order. Katie Hepburn noted the spike in consumer confidence, saying she feels safer with a Trump White House. She’s wary of the situation in Europe and the influx of migrants, specifically Syrian refugees, and the skepticism that they can be vetted properly to siphon out those with terror ties. It’s not a controversial point.
New Jersey isn’t necessarily Trump country, though Clifton’s median income hovers around $50,000, which is where the president’s support is among the strongest concerning income demographics. In the Midwest, they were quite blunt to CNN and the elites, saying how they forgot about them—the “deplorables” in the Midwest. The fact that Trump is president is good enough for many in that part of the country, noting it’s a sign their voice was heard after decades of benign neglect.
Now, the Trump White House did trip up on health care—twice. It’s been quite a disconcerting string of events on this agenda item. Right now, Congress is focused on tax reform, which should be a smoother ride now that the border adjustment tax is out. Regardless, it’s true that consumer confidence is at its highest levels in 16 years. Small business confidence is at its highest rate in 10 years. Over a million new jobs have been created in six months of the Trump presidency. At the rate we’re going, and it’s volatile, but for the moment—we’re on track to create 25 million new jobs over the next ten years.
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The president’s support also remains steady, like the people CNN interviews in New Jersey and Nebraska; with 60 percent saying they will never stop approving of Trump—ever.
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