‘Not What We Signed Up For’: Trump Voter Rips Trump Policies To WSJ — Says ‘I Don’t Like Chaos’

A Trump voter named Paul Bisson ripped President Donald Trump’s turbulent early second term, telling the Wall Street Journal “I don’t like chaos” and Trump’s rollout is not what Trump voters “signed up for.”

The first weeks of Trump’s second term has been characterized by a string of successful cabinet nominations, a relentless testing of executive power and governing norms, and a high-stakes game of chicken with the stock market over tariffs.

That running start has not thrilled consumers, many of whom voted for Trump. In a new piece from WSJ’s Rachel Wolfe and Joe Pinsker, consumer data and talks with Trump voters indicate strong warning signs of dissatisfaction:

Consumer sentiment fell about 5% in the University of Michigan’s preliminary February survey of consumers to its lowest reading since July 2024. Expectations of inflation in the year ahead jumped from 3.3% in January to 4.3%, the second month in a row of large increases and highest reading since November 2023.

“It’s very rare to see a full percentage point jump in inflation expectations,” said Joanne Hsu, who oversees the survey. Republicans have come off a postelection surge in confidence, she said, and Democrats and Independents also seem to believe that economic conditions have deteriorated since last month.

Morning Consult’s recent index of consumer confidence, too, fell between Jan. 25 and Feb. 3, driven primarily by concern over the country’s economic future.

“I don’t like the turbulence. I don’t like the chaos in the market,” said Paul Bisson, a 58-year-old, who writes proposals for a flight safety company and co-owns a dog daycare in San Antonio. Bisson voted for Trump, but feels “his policies have led to that chaos.”

Bisson is hoping to retire in the not-too-distant future, and is worried that won’t be possible if Trump follows through with his tariff threats rather than just using them as a negotiating tactic.

“That will make the economy worse, and that’s not what we signed up for,” Bisson said. “We’ve already cut back. There’s no more cutting back to do.”

Read the full article here.