New Delhi, Dec. 22 -- Rural strongholds that handed Trump Michigan now queue for food aid as prices soar 9.4%, his core base questions unkept economic vows ahead of midterms.

In the shadow of factories that once symbolized American might, long lines of cars snake through the parking lots of food pantries in Michigan's rural heartland. These are not the images President Trump promised when he swept back into the White House in January 2025, vowing to crush inflation and make America affordable again. Instead, persistent price hikes, particularly a staggering 9.4 percent jump in fruits and vegetables, are forcing even his most loyal supporters to confront a harsh reality: the man they trusted to fix the economy may be making it worse.

The...