FX.co ★ Donald Trump falls short on campaign promises to middle class and industry

US President Donald Trump has not fulfilled his key economic promises regarding job creation in the manufacturing sector and substantial improvements in the standard of living for the middle class. According to Reuters, crucial aspects of his agenda have encountered systemic issues: the labor force in the country continues to shrink due to the natural aging of the native population and stringent immigration restrictions, making it increasingly difficult for businesses to find employees.

While significant investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure have sparked a localized boom in the construction sector, overall employment levels in manufacturing have fallen below those recorded at the end of Joe Biden’s presidency. Moreover, the number of government employees in the country has significantly decreased, and the White House’s attempts to rein in inflation have yielded only modest results thus far. Price increases in the United States are still exceeding the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, exacerbated by the negative effects of new import tariffs and ongoing instability in the Middle East.

Amid growing challenges, the second quarter of 2026 saw a sharp decline in American company executives’ confidence in the resilience of the economy. The business leaders’ sentiment index dropped from 59 to 47 points, falling into negative territory. The majority of surveyed executives acknowledged that the current economic conditions are significantly worse than they were six months ago and expressed expectations for further deterioration in operating conditions over the next six months.