In a political landscape already overflowing with drama and uncertainty, Donald Trump has dialed up the intensity by returning to his favorite tactic: playing the fear card. It’s nothing new, but as the 2024 election looms closer, his warnings about the economy—and America as a whole—seem to be hitting the right notes with a chunk of voters.
Fear, Farming, and the Economy
At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump didn’t hold back. His apocalyptic warning? “You won’t have a farm very long” if he loses the election. The message was clear—rural America, particularly the agricultural heartland, would be devastated under a Kamala Harris administration.
Trump’s speech wasn’t just a critique of his opponent; it was also a broader condemnation of the state of the country. “Energy prices are going to skyrocket,” he said, predicting bankruptcy for family-owned farms, a metaphor for a crumbling economy. It’s a message of doom and gloom that resonates with many rural voters, a group that overwhelmingly supports him.
Trump’s Strategy: Fear Sells
Most politicians paint an optimistic picture, offering voters hope. Kamala Harris has been campaigning on exactly that, promising a “new opportunity economy.” Trump, on the other hand, has doubled down on fear. If Harris wins, Trump claims the U.S. economy will collapse, energy prices will soar, and, for good measure, we’ll end up in World War III.
It’s not the first time Trump has gone all-in with hyperbole. Remember 2020, when he claimed that without his re-election, there would be “no kids in school, no weddings, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas”? And while he was right that the pandemic disrupted many of these events, life eventually returned to a new normal under the Biden administration.
This rhetoric is vintage Trump, straight from his playbook of “truthful hyperbole,” a phrase he coined in The Art of the Deal. His fear-based strategy works, especially with voters who feel left behind by globalization and economic shifts. By evoking threats to the agricultural sector, Trump is essentially making rural America’s economy a symbol for the entire nation’s prosperity—or lack thereof.
A Pattern of Scapegoating
If fear doesn’t win, Trump has a backup strategy: blame. Recently, he claimed that if he loses in November, “the Jewish people” would be partially responsible. These remarks echo a familiar antisemitic trope about dual loyalties, a dangerous sentiment Trump has invoked before.
On social media, he took aim at Catholic voters, suggesting that they’d lose their faith under a Harris administration. He accused the current administration of persecuting Catholics—a baseless claim, but one designed to stoke fear among a key voter demographic.
His message to women was equally alarming. At a rally, he told female voters, “I am your protector.” Given that Trump has been found liable in a civil case for sexual abuse and is trailing Harris among female voters, this paternalistic pitch seemed out of touch at best.
Authoritarian Overtones
Trump’s warnings about the future also have a distinctly authoritarian flavor. His rhetoric suggests that only he can save America from catastrophe. At the 2016 Republican National Convention, he famously said, “I alone can fix it.” Eight years later, the message remains the same.
In fact, Trump’s admiration for authoritarian leaders, like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, has only grown. He recently remarked, “Sometimes you need a strongman,” aligning himself with a leadership style that centralizes power and dismisses democratic checks and balances. This time, his argument is clear: without him in charge, America’s future is bleak.
Why Trump’s Tactic Is Working
Trump’s fear-based approach works because it validates the anxieties of many voters. Globalization, industrialization, and economic uncertainty have left a swath of Americans feeling abandoned. In places like rural Pennsylvania, where small farms and factories have struggled, Trump’s message hits home.
He has also tapped into the ongoing resentment against China, blaming the country for failing to uphold trade deals that he negotiated. Many experts doubted the agreements would succeed, but Trump framed them as historic victories. Now, he’s promising to get tough on China again, even proposing extreme measures like a 200% tariff on John Deere if the company moves production to Mexico.
Of course, Trump’s economic policies haven’t always panned out. Many of the jobs he promised during his presidency never materialized, and some of his trade wars hurt American workers more than they helped. But voters remember the rhetoric, not the results.
Read more: Trump Suggests 2024 May Be His Last Election Run—For Real This Time
The Polls Tell the Story
Trump’s fear-mongering seems to be paying off. In key swing states like Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina, polls show Trump leading Harris on the economy. In a recent survey by The New York Times and Siena College, 55% of respondents said they trusted Trump more to manage the economy, compared to 42% for Harris.
Harris has tried to counter this narrative by criticizing Trump’s economic record, accusing him of price gouging and favoring tax cuts for the wealthy. She’s also attempting to stake out her own populist message, but it hasn’t gained the same traction.
The Power of Optics
Optics matter in politics, and Trump knows how to create a compelling visual. After warning farmers that they’d be bankrupt under Harris, Trump made a stop at a grocery store in Pennsylvania. There, he handed cash to a woman, helping her pay for her groceries. It was a perfect photo-op—Trump, the businessman, swooping in to “save” a struggling American.
In contrast, Harris has rarely done such direct outreach. While she’s scheduled to deliver another speech on the economy later this week, it’s hard to imagine it will have the same visceral impact as Trump’s populist photo-ops.
Will Fear Win Again?
As the 2024 election draws near, Trump’s fear-based approach shows no signs of slowing down. He’s betting that enough voters are more afraid of a Harris presidency than they are concerned about his divisive rhetoric or dubious track record. It’s a strategy that worked for him in 2016, and it may just work again in 2024.
