A pollster warned President Donald Trump at a recent White House meeting that Republicans risk losing the midterm elections if they ignore voters’ concerns about affordability and the economy.
Mark Mitchell, head of polling at Rasmussen Reports He said The Daily Caller caught up with Trump to discuss polling data that shows deep pessimism among Americans.
Trump was “receptive” enough to hold the meeting and ask questions, but the message apparently did not get through, according to Mitchell.
Only one in four Americans believes today’s children will be better off than their parents, Mitchell said. Mitchell called it “the death of the American dream.” “People believe that the capitalist system has failed them.” (RELATED: Trump calls ‘affordability’ a ‘Democratic scam’)
🚨Watch: @honestpolsterin conversation with @reaganreese_warns that rejecting affordability, defending H-1Bs, and downplaying economic pain risk alienating young voters — even within Trump’s base. pic.twitter.com/BS3eZGF3Tc
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 20, 2025
The pollster delivered a blunt message that Trump needs a “Contract for America”-style partnership with Republicans to show voters that the party understands their problems. Mitchell cited “corporatism, corporate capture, corporate welfare, and oligarchy” as root causes of economic frustration.
He also criticized Trump as “completely tone-deaf” on several issues that have alienated his base, including dismissing affordability concerns, the controversy over the Epstein files, and defending H-1B visas with “billionaire talking points.”
The Mitchell poll shows that 60 to 70 percent of voters under 40 believe the economy is unfair to young people. He warned that young Trump voters have “very socialist” views and want to “radically attack the system.”
Trump’s reaction left Mitchell unsure. “It was a Trump-style conversation, but I didn’t feel like it was as impactful as I had hoped,” Mitchell said.