Somos’ Melissa Morales on Trump’s State of the Union: “The Golden Age Trump celebrated isn’t the one working families are living”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following President Trump’s State of the Union address, Melissa Morales, Founder and President of Somos Votantes, released the following statement:
“Last night, President Trump stood before Congress and declared a golden age. But the hardworking Latino families we talk to every day aren’t living it. They’re living in a day to day crisis – watching their grocery bills stay high, their rent climb, their health care costs spike, and their paychecks fall short. You can’t cherry-pick one gas station in Iowa and call it a policy win.
The math doesn’t add up – and neither do his promises. The stock market records he celebrated? Half of all Americans own little or none. This is not an economy built for working people – it’s manufactured for those at the very top.
President Trump promised last night to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. But his own ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ cut Medicaid by $1 trillion, putting 17 million Americans at risk of losing coverage. It slashed food assistance that families, veterans, and seniors need. It raised health insurance costs for more than 22 million people. Latino voters see through it – and the numbers prove it. Trump’s economic approval among Latino voters has collapsed from -13 to -30 over the course of his first year. More than one in three Latinos who voted for him in 2024 now say they are disappointed or regret that decision. That is the real state of this union.”
The latest Somos Votantes polling tells the full story of this economic disconnect. Key findings include:
- Trump’s economic approval among Latino voters has cratered to -30, down from -13 at the start of his term — the steepest single-year collapse since tracking began.
- 69% of Latino voters say Trump’s tariff policies are making the cost of things they buy go up.
- 51% of Latino voters say inflation and the cost of living should be the top priority for the President and Congress — yet only 14% believe Trump and Republicans are actually focused on it. A 37-point gap.
- 36% of Latino voters who voted for Trump in 2024 now say they are disappointed or regret their decision — more than 1 in 3 of his own supporters.
- 95% of Latino voters are concerned about rising costs. 91% are concerned about wages not keeping up.
- 80% of Latino voters are concerned about prescription drug prices rising. 83% are concerned about millions losing health care coverage.
###
About Somos Votantes
Somos Votantes is a Latino-led, Latino-focused organization that runs some of the largest independent Latino civic and voter engagement programs in the country. We envision a nation where hardworking Latinos have the opportunities and tools to fully participate in our democracy. Somos Votantes seeks to empower hardworking Latinos in shaping the future of our democracy, primarily through non-partisan civic engagement programs, by increasing our participation in elections and advocating for progressive policies.Visit https://www.somosvotantes.com/ for more information on this program and other projects, and follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, and X.