Trump Ballroom Fiasco Takes Worse Turn as Economic Data Gets Brutal

The economic news is getting worse. Major companies are announcing mass layoffs, and it’s dominating the headlines, including in the Rust Belt. Food stamps are about to expire for millions. Consumer confidence keeps sliding. And newly released info shows how Obamacare premiums will soar due to lapsing subsidies. That backdrop of bad news makes President Trump’s tearing down of White House structures to build a gilded ballroom even more damaging. Indeed, new polling shows that the ballroom fiasco is now stirring a surprising public backlash. On top of that, commentators are noticing the disconnect between the ballroom optics and the darkening economic situation for millions, a dynamic that will only worsen. We talked to Elizabeth Pancotti, who tracks economic sentiment as managing director of the Groundwork Collaborative. We discuss what the economic news means, why the media should level with voters about Trump’s out-of-touch displays, and how Democrats in key races are seizing the economic high ground. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.