In parts of eastern Pennsylvania where President Donald Trump made some of his biggest gains in 2024, many voters are now expressing frustration, regret, and mixed feelings a year into his second presidency.
Outside the Sunrise Diner in Allentown, Robert DeJesus, 57, a retired construction worker and independent voter, said he now views his 2024 vote as a “big mistake.” “The guy makes ‘cookie promises,’” he said. “They’re easy made and easy broken.”
DeJesus said Trump pledged lower grocery prices but “didn’t deliver,” while his family faces what he called “insane” supermarket costs. “He left nothing for the working man,” he said. “People say it’s good the price of gas went down under Trump. But how we have to live, with high food and high rent, makes no sense.”
Diana Kird, 58, a Republican nurse from Lehighton who also voted for Trump, shared similar frustrations in comments reported by the Inquirer. Standing outside a Giant supermarket, she said, “I don’t know what we’re doing in Venezuela.” She added, “We need to stop getting into foreign wars,” a promise Trump made and “ignored.”
Kird said, “He’s wash-rinse-repeat for me,” adding that he keeps promising cheaper groceries but is “yet doing nothing.” She also cited Trump’s “refusal to release all the Epstein files” as another reason she regrets her support. Although Trump is not on the ballot this year, she said she plans to take her frustration out on U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who narrowly won his seat.
Some voters remain strongly supportive. At a diner in Coopersburg, Tiffany Osmun, 27, said, “Trump’s a confident and honest man who knows business, and made a lot of money. I so admire him. And we need him.” She added, “He’s fearless, and not afraid of what he has to do,” and said, “I’d vote for him again.”
Others described more complicated feelings. Bud Hackett, 72, said, “I don’t like his personality,” while still backing some of Trump’s policies. Bobby Remer, 31, praised Trump’s foreign policy and said, “He’s done great militarily, throwing our swag around.”
Economic pressure remains central for many voters. An October poll from Franklin and Marshall College found that more voters in the region said they felt worse off financially than better off. Overall food prices rose 3.1% last month compared with December 2024, according to consumer price index data. For Kird, the conclusion was simple. “Life is just more expensive under Trump,” she said.