By Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
photo: one of many pro-Trump campaign signs in front of private homes ©communications-unlimited,nl
Donald Trump will be only the second U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland’s unique tenure in the late 19th century. This unprecedented return bid isn’t just about reclaiming office—it’s about responding to urgent concerns that many Americans feel have been neglected by recent leadership.
For the past two years, I traveled across nearly half of the U.S., talking to people from diverse walks of life. Beneath the political divisions, it became clear that many Americans are facing growing insecurity, financial strain, and a need for basic stability. Their concerns fall into the core elements of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: physiological requirements, safety, and security. For these Americans, support for Trump isn’t about his personality; it’s about survival and the belief that he grasps these fundamental needs.
Economic Hardship and Basic Survival
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs begins with the basics: food, shelter, and security. But in today’s America, inflation, housing costs, and stagnant wages are eroding these essentials. I saw signs of these economic struggles firsthand: empty storefronts, factories long closed, and communities that had once thrived now struggling to survive. A former factory worker in Pennsylvania, now juggling multiple part-time jobs, told me his town had become “a shell of what it used to be.” For people like him, Trump’s promises to bring back manufacturing jobs and reduce costs align with their most basic needs: food on the table, a stable roof over their heads, and the possibility of financial security.
In city after city, we saw people working multiple shifts but still unable to meet their basic needs. Homelessness, too, is on the rise—a visible sign of the increasing number of Americans left without essential support. Trump’s focus on lowering inflation and reviving American industry feels like a survival strategy to people who feel left behind.
photo: homeless encampments under bridges ©communications-unlimited,nl
Immigration and Security: A Foundational Need
Safety and security are essential elements of stability, and for many in Trump’s base, immigration has become the central issue representing these needs. Many Americans felt that increased immigration put pressures on their already-strained communities. For them, Trump’s strict border policies feel like a necessary step to stabilize the crime level, the job market, protect wages and reduce strains on public resources. To many, Trump’s stance is a practical answer to restore safety and opportunity in a destabilized environment.
The American Dream Deferred
For many Americans, the traditional promise of the American Dream—upward mobility through hard work—feels increasingly out of reach. With decades of factory closures, outsourcing, and job insecurity, this dream has faded for countless working-class families. Trump’s supporters argue that his “America First” agenda and promises to bring back American manufacturing resonate because they offer a path back to economic control and opportunity. Trump’s policies, they feel, offer a chance to revive the American Dream, to rebuild communities and to create stable, decent-paying jobs that don’t demand ideological loyalty but focus on tangible, visible change.
A Disconnect in Rhetoric and Reality
Kamala Harris, widely seen as a continuation of the Biden administration, has taken a combative stance against Trump, labeling him a “fascist” and mocking his policy ideas. For many voters focused on day-to-day survival, these attacks miss the mark. Calling Trump a “fascist” doesn’t put food on the table or help pay rent. For these voters, such rhetoric can feel dismissive—not just of Trump himself, but of the very real concerns his policies aim to address. Harris’s critiques, intended to undermine Trump, often seem to sidestep the pressing issues that have drawn many to his platform, leaving his supporters feeling that their basic needs are being brushed aside.
The Appeal of Trump’s Practical Promises
Ultimately, Trump’s appeal in 2024 isn’t about idolizing him; it’s about a belief that his policies directly address immediate, pressing needs that many feel have been overlooked. Supporters aren’t blind to his flaws—they simply believe his agenda speaks to the foundations of daily life: affordable housing, stable jobs, and safe communities. The label of “fascism” holds little weight when people are struggling to make ends meet, and for these voters, opponents’ focus on Trump’s personality can seem out of touch with the challenges they face.
The nation is indeed divided, but for those who feel sidelined, Trump’s platform represents a chance for their needs to be heard. America prides itself on progress, yet today, many feel they’re voting not for ideals but for basic stability.
Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska is an international journalist and author with a background in American Culture Studies from Warsaw University. She is the chief editor of the Central and Eastern Europe Center and president of the European Institute on Communist Oppression.
