Trump’s Policies Are Hurting Millions of Americans in 2026

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How Many Policies Actually HELPED Americans?

A year into his second term, President Trump made a lot of promises about making life more affordable for everyday Americans. What actually happened looks very different from those promises.

The biggest hit came through the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4, 2025. The bill packed in trillions of dollars in tax cuts while slashing some of the most critical safety net programs in the country. The people who relied on those programs are already feeling it.

Health Care Costs Are Skyrocketing

About 22 million people, including 5 million small business owners and self-employed workers, are expected to see their health coverage costs skyrocket or lose coverage altogether in 2026 because the administration let key ACA subsidies expire. One single mother in Mississippi reported a 620% increase in her monthly premium after the subsidies ran out. She went from expecting a double or triple increase to getting hit with seven times her original bill.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the total number of uninsured will rise by 17 million people by 2034 when you add up the Medicaid cuts, ACA changes, and the tighter enrollment rules.

Millions Losing Food Assistance

More than 3.5 million people lost their SNAP food benefits between July 2025 and February 2026 as the bill’s new work requirements kicked in. Some states saw dramatic drops. Arizona lost 51% of its SNAP beneficiaries. California food banks are now serving 6 million people per month, which is more than they served at the peak of the COVID pandemic

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York noted a “remarkable increase in food insecurity” as people cope with rising grocery prices and the loss of federal food aid at the same time

Grocery Prices Keep Climbing

Tariffs made the situation worse at the checkout line. The price of beef rose 16.4% over the past year, coffee jumped 19.8%, and lettuce climbed 7.3%. The administration had promised to defeat inflation and lower costs on day one. Instead, grocery prices posted their biggest monthly gain in December since the peak inflation period of August 2022

Rural Communities Hit Hard

Because poverty rates are generally higher in rural areas, Medicaid coverage rates are higher there too, meaning the cuts are predicted to disproportionately harm rural communities. Health experts are warning that some rural hospitals and clinics could be forced to close as a result.

The gap between what was promised and what is actually happening in people’s lives is hard to ignore. Families are paying more for food, losing health coverage, and getting squeezed from every direction. And for millions of Americans, 2026 is turning out to be a very tough year.