{"id":7717,"date":"2026-07-16T14:37:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7717"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:37:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:37:53","slug":"pennsylvania-swing-voters-are-split-on-trumps-2025-windfall-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=7717","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania swing voters are split on Trump&#8217;s 2025 windfall : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-133833\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 6000;&#10;        --source-height: 4000;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"President Trump arrives to speak at an event in Carlisle, Pa., on Wednesday.\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                President Trump arrives to speak at an event in Carlisle, Pa., on Wednesday.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Alex Wong\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Alex Wong\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>President Trump&#8217;s recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oge.gov\/web\/oge.nsf\/Resources\/Now+Available:+The+President%E2%80%99s+and+Vice+President%E2%80%99s+certified+annual+financial+disclosure+reports\" target=\"_blank\">financial disclosures<\/a> reveal his wealth has shot up since taking office again. His family businesses reported revenue last year of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/30\/us\/politics\/trump-financial-disclosure-crypto-windfall.html\" target=\"_blank\">$2.2 billion<\/a> \u2014 largely earnings from cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n<p>But key voters in Pennsylvania have mixed views on whether this is a big deal or not, indicating a level of cynicism about many in the political class.<\/p>\n<p>These were among the views expressed by participants of two online focus groups that NPR observed on Tuesday. The focus groups were made up of 12 Pennsylvania voters total.<\/p>\n<p>Half the participants, when asked, said they were &#8220;troubled&#8221; by Trump&#8217;s windfall in office. The other half waved it off.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5893599-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5876512\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/10\/nx-s1-5876512\/trump-communist-messaging-economy-democrats\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/10\\\/nx-s1-5876512\\\/trump-communist-messaging-economy-democrats&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5042x5042+1259+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F53%2Fac9857e84914b262730237f9cb2d%2Fgettyimages-2285242141.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"President Trump holds a press conference at Be\u015ftepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 8 in Ankara, Turkey.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5893599-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When it comes to ethics, moral and financial, I think that just about every politician is corrupt,&#8221; said Todd A., a 62-year-old independent voter. (All participants agreed to be part of the focus groups on the condition that they be identified by their first name and last initial only.)<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So, the fact that he&#8217;s a known huckster,&#8221; Todd continued, &#8220;I mean, we&#8217;ve known that for years about him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It really was flooring to me that they felt that way,&#8221; said Rich Thau, who moderated the focus groups. &#8220;The excuses that they gave, which is, you know, &#8216;This is the kind of thing that rich people do. They use money to make more money. All politicians do this kind of thing. They&#8217;re all corrupt\u2026&#8217; That&#8217;s the voice of extremely cynical voters whose expectations for politicians are remarkably low.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Thau is president of messaging firm Engagious, which partners with market researcher Sago and NPR to conduct <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/g-s1-106716\/swing-voter-project\" target=\"_blank\">monthly focus groups<\/a> with swing voters across the country. Focus groups are not polling, so there isn&#8217;t anything scientifically significant to draw from these conversations.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5893599-101\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5861751\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/19\/nx-s1-5861751\/wisconsin-focus-groups-iran-trump\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/19\\\/nx-s1-5861751\\\/wisconsin-focus-groups-iran-trump&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4160x4160+804+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffb%2F48%2F207cb8e14ee58f64092b024ac890%2Fgettyimages-2281567243.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"In this photo, six vessels float on the water, anchored along the Strait of Hormuz.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5893599-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>But they do provide insight into how key voters who helped get Trump reelected feel about the choice they made. And while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/our-work\/analysis-opinion\/poll-voters-want-solutions-government-corruption\" target=\"_blank\">a recent survey<\/a> found the vast majority of voters are concerned about corruption writ-large in American government, these Pennsylvania focus group participants are mixed on how they feel about Trump&#8217;s behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Betsy D., a 48-year-old Republican, was among those voters. She said Trump was exhibiting &#8220;typical behavior&#8221; from a businessman, as well as a politician.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I am not saying it&#8217;s OK,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;m just not troubled by it because I just think it&#8217;s typical for politicians to increase their wealth while in office.&#8221;<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<aside id=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" class=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" aria-label=\"recommended stories\"\/>\n<!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>Ken J., a 44-year-old Republican, said he wasn&#8217;t particularly concerned that Trump has become significantly wealthier in office because it didn&#8217;t seem to him that Trump&#8217;s money was made in an &#8220;illegal way.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s a businessman,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He openly admitted it. This isn&#8217;t a shock to me or anybody else. He&#8217;s admitted in the past that he&#8217;s going to continue running his empire while he&#8217;s in his president&#8217;s seat. I was fully aware of that. And if we&#8217;re talking insider trading, we&#8217;re talking kickbacks, we&#8217;re talking something like that, it might be a little bit different.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But for voters like Bhavana G., a 54-year-old independent voter, news of Trump&#8217;s earnings in office was a concern.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For me, when I see that, the first thing that comes to my mind is abuse of power,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>She added Trump doesn&#8217;t get a pass because he is also a businessman.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is not the businessman Donald Trump who&#8217;s interacting,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It is the president, Donald Trump, who&#8217;s using his powers in manipulative ways to draw something that is of his personal interest. And that to me is morally wrong and that itself should be a problem \u2014 and is a problem to me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Margaret M., a 58-year-old independent voter, said she&#8217;s worried that people who Trump is doing business with would have undue influence over him.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I would just be worried that whoever he&#8217;s doing business with would then have his ear a little bit more or be wanting to have some &#8216;favors&#8217; or some leniency that might not be totally on the up and up,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5893599-102\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5891492\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/13\/nx-s1-5891492\/mcconnell-fall-hospitalization\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/13\\\/nx-s1-5891492\\\/mcconnell-fall-hospitalization&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3551x3551+888+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F26%2F8204ec8546e3b02c502eadcd3d0a%2Fap26190531439762.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks at an event, Aug. 2, 2025, in Fancy Farm, Ky.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5893599-102\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Here are two other takeaways from the focus groups:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"edTag rte2-style-ul\">\n<li><strong>Politicians&#8217; health: <\/strong>After hearing reports of two members of Congress taking lengthy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/30\/nx-s1-5876222\/tom-kean-new-jersey-congress-depression\" target=\"_blank\">mysterious<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/10\/nx-s1-5885905\/as-sen-mitch-mcconnell-remains-hospitalized-calls-for-transparency-grow\" target=\"_blank\">absences<\/a> from their work due to health concerns, eight out of 12 participants said they think representatives who are suffering ongoing health setbacks should be required to tell the public what&#8217;s going on if they&#8217;re sick or absent for long periods of time. Four voters said members of Congress should be allowed a zone of privacy while dealing with serious health issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<aside id=\"ad-third-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap third\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<ul class=\"edTag rte2-style-ul\">\n<li><strong>Iran war: <\/strong>With the U.S. now back in armed conflict with Iran, only seven of 12 voters said they were aware that the ceasefire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/11\/nx-s1-5886172\/president-trump-says-ceasefire-with-iran-is-over-what-happens-next\" target=\"_blank\">had ended<\/a>. And only two participants said they are confident Trump will be able to bring the war to a close by the end of this year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Trump arrives to speak at an event in Carlisle, Pa., on Wednesday. Alex Wong\/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Alex Wong\/Getty Images President Trump&#8217;s recent financial disclosures reveal his wealth has shot up since taking office again. His family businesses reported revenue last year of $2.2 billion \u2014 largely earnings from cryptocurrency. But key&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6000x3375+0+0\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F19%2F53%2F60e946524bd5b494ce1575d52e02%2Fgettyimages-2286259618.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}