Donald Trump has been a disaster for rural America | Steven Greenhouse

The president’s policies have taken such a toll on farmers that Republicans face trouble in deep-red states

Donald Trump’s policies have been a disaster for the nation’s farmers, so much so that a near electoral miracle may soon happen: Kansas, one of the deepest red, most rural states, may elect its first Democratic senator in nearly a century.

After Trump won farm country handily in 2024, many rural voters in Kansas, Iowa and elsewhere have soured on him because the price of diesel fuel, a key input for farming, has soared by nearly 70%, farm bankruptcies have surged and because Trump’s trade wars have significantly reduced agricultural exports.

Steven Greenhouse is a journalist and author, focusing on labor and the workplace, as well as economic and legal issues