DAVID MARCUS: Small-town America shrugs off tariff talk, puts faith in Trump

For arguably the archetypal clip successful his governmental career, President Donald Trump is asking his voters to instrumentality a large leap of religion regarding his administration’s tariff policy. 

I decided to question to small-town Maryland and Ohio to effort to find retired conscionable however overmuch slack Trump voters are consenting to chopped him amid the uncertainty of this commercialized policy. What I recovered is that Trump has a batch much runway to play with earlier his enactment whitethorn oregon whitethorn not commencement to crumble.

SEN. RAND PAUL: TERMINATE THE TRUMP TARIFFS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Cumberland, Md., is simply a charming and sleepy hamlet adjacent the Pennsylvania borderline which, similar truthful galore successful the area, grew up astir the railroad, and it shows. Trestles and 19th-century buildings abound, freight trains chopped their fearless mode close done the tiny downtown.

Fred, who columnist David Marcus met successful Maryland, has not wavered successful his enactment for Trump.

There I met Fred and his lad Chris, who were eating meal adjacent to maine astatine a section establishment. Fred’s agleam reddish "Trump Was Right About Everything" chapeau seemed similar a spot of a hint that helium had voted for the president, truthful we got to talking.

"None," Fred told maine erstwhile I asked if helium was starting to person immoderate doubts. The retired Navy seasoned was particularly pleased by the enactment of Pete Hegseth arsenic caput of the Department of Defense. "He’s a serviceman," Fred told me. "He tin grip it."

I perceive that from astir 9 retired of 10 vets I speech to.

Fred's lad Chris, besides a Navy vet, was a spot much circumspect. On the taxable of tariffs and much broadly inflation, helium said, "Trump ran connected making things cheaper, not much expensive, but I’m inactive consenting to spot him."

"Nothing happens overnight and without work," came immoderate fatherly proposal from Fred.

US President Donald Trump holds a illustration arsenic helium delivers remarks connected reciprocal tariffs during an lawsuit successful the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" astatine the White House successful Washington, DC, connected April 2, 2025. Trump geared up to unveil sweeping caller "Liberation Day" tariffs successful a determination that threatens to ignite a devastating planetary commercialized war. Key US trading partners including the European Union and Britain said they were preparing their responses to Trump's escalation, arsenic tense markets fell successful Europe and America. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Now Chris has a point. Trump perfectly ran connected imposing tariffs, but it was ne'er wide if that was a negotiating maneuver oregon an wide economical policy. We inactive don’t truly know. Deals could inactive beryllium cut, but Trump did not tally connected short-term economical pain, thing each of his supporters I talked to admitted, but besides accepted.

Later that night, I met 4 guys successful their 30s, who enactment successful the section vigor industry, and erstwhile again, 3 of them were wholly connected board.

"I don’t deliberation helium has done enough," 1 quipped sarcastically astir the avalanche of actions taken by Trump.

Another said Trump's ac tions person strengthened his support.

"A mates years ago, I was not politically aligned with either party, but present that Trump has go the president, and Elon is trying to eliminate, with the DOGE, the fraud and the illogical spending that is happening, I americium wholly for that." He added, "I americium much blessed present that I voted for Trump than I was erstwhile I voted for Trump."

About 2 hours northwest of Cumberland lies tiny Columbiana, Ohio. Unlike the cozy Cumberland nestled successful the mountains, Columbiana is simply a tiny spot much of portion malls than municipality squares, but not without its ain charming haunts to discover.

One of those is Factory 46, a edifice and barroom tucked down 1 of the ubiquitous malls, wherever Joe, successful his 20’s who has lived present his full life, slings the drinks and grub.

There I met different begetter and son, again successful the aforesaid industry, this clip ember mining, and this clip it was the dada who fto maine inquire him a fewer questions connected video. For some of them, removing the taxation connected overtime was a immense issue.

"It’s sidesplitting the moving man," the dada told me, and erstwhile I asked if helium thought Trump could truly bash it, helium perfectly did. He besides told me, "I’d emotion to spot him bring the ember manufacture back. Obama took it from us. I tin recognize gas, we request gas, it's awesome, but we request both." 

The taxable of nary regrets remained dependable for these two, arsenic it did for Joe’s mom, who came successful to sojourn a small portion after. 

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One happening that became clear, particularly successful Ohio, is that erstwhile Democrats and the media shriek astir however tariffs volition vessel the banal marketplace and marque overseas goods much expensive, galore deliberation our alleged prosperity came astatine the outgo of home manufacturing and astatine the disbursal of towns similar theirs.

The voters successful these tiny towns precise overmuch spot themselves arsenic the losers successful the crippled of globalism, and they are not excessively upset astir its rules being changed.

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Trump’s canvass numbers person dipped a bit. He’s astir 2 points underwater, though inactive higher than helium was this clip successful his archetypal term. And based connected my conversations with his supporters this week, I bash not expect a crisp diminution anytime soon.

No, his radical are consenting to springiness Trump time, but marque nary mistake, successful the agelong run, they are expecting results. 

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