Women more worried about economy under Trump than men, poll finds
Women across the political spectrum are more concerned about the state of the US economy and inflation under Donald Trump than men are, according to a new exclusive poll for the Guardian.More Democrats than Republicans are now concerned about the economy following the president’s return to power.But pessimism was higher for women even among Republicans and independents, according to a new Harris poll.Overall, 62% of women and 47% of men said that the economy and inflation were getting worse, a gap of 15 percentage points.The gender gap crossed party lines with both Democratic and Republican women expressing greater concerns about the economy than men did.
“Here’s what everyone missed: women aren’t being pessimistic about the economy – they’re being realistic,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer of Harris Poll,“Women are experiencing the sharp edge of inflation on essentials like groceries and childcare in ways that stock portfolios can’t capture,”The news will be worrying for the Trump administration,Women are more likely than men to be registered to vote and to show up at the polls,While Trump made gains among women in the 2024 election, women were still 10% more likely to vote for Kamala Harris.
Recent analysis has shown that much of Trump’s win can be attributed to gains made among men, particularly non-white men.Across a series of questions about their outlook on the state of the economy, most respondents (78%) – both men and women – expressed concerns about the amount of uncertainty, particularly around prices.Yet women appear to be bearing the brunt of Trump’s economic policy, particularly around his tariffs.Previous research has shown that women are more likely to feel the impacts of inflation because of broader gender inequality, including gaps in pay and household responsibilities.While a majority of respondents said they were primarily responsible for their household’s shopping, more women (71%) than men (62%) reported being their household’s primary shopper.
This difference in household shopping responsibility translates into broader gaps in concern over affordability and prices:More women said they were very worried about food prices (52% of women compared to 39% of men)More women said they were spending more time trying to find deals or go to more affordable stores (36% versus 26%)More women said their financial security was getting worse because of their difficulty in affording essential goods and services (55% versus 46%)The differences increased when respondents were asked about their comfort in affording their lifestyles in the current economy, including affording a family, a home, life as a single individual, and childcare.Just 27% of women said they felt comfortable affording a family now, compared with 43% of men.Although confidence in switching jobs was low among all respondents, 34% of men were confident in a job switch compared with 25% of women.Women are also more pessimistic about receiving a meaningful raise this year: 54% of women said they think they will get a raise, compared with 63% of men.Lack of confidence in the economy can affect people’s behavior, particularly the big milestones they can make in their lives.
They are more likely to delay buying homes, starting a family or switching jobs,Sign up to Headlines USGet the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morningafter newsletter promotion“We’re witnessing a generation living in what we call ‘anticipatory financial distress’,” said Rodney,“This isn’t a casual concern; it’s the mental equivalent of holding your breath underwater, waiting for the surface,”What makes up “the economy” for one person can be completely different than what it means for another,For some, the economy can largely be defined by how the US stock market is doing; for many others, it’s the price of their weekly grocery bill.
Over the last few years, certain parts of the economy thrived, while others caused serious pain.The stock market reached record highs, and the wealth of the ultra-rich soared.At the same time, the labor market has remained relatively stable, with the unemployment rate staying at about 4%.But even as Americans were holding on to their jobs, prices soared, particularly in 2022, when the inflation rate hit a decades-high of 9.1%.
In attempts to bring inflation down, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates, which ultimately made borrowing money, particularly for a mortgage, much more expensive than it had been during the pandemic.Previous Harris polls conducted before the 2024 US election had shown that pessimism under the Biden administration was high.Many Americans appeared to blame the White House for the high inflation, even though inflation eventually came down to under 3% in 2023 and 2024.So far in his second term, Trump has primarily used tariffs as his main tool to balance out the economy, arguing that tariffs will increase domestic manufacturing.So far, many companies have said they will instead pass the price increases on to consumers.
Recent data has shown that inflation hasn’t climbed yet, but economists warn that many companies stockpiled in anticipation of tariffs, and price increases could continue into the summer.This survey was conducted online within the US by The Harris Poll from 22 to 31 May 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 4,208 US adults.
The secret to crisp tofu | Kitchen aide
I want to like tofu, but I don’t because of its rubbery texture. How do I make it nice and crisp? Anne, by email “Moisture is the enemy of crisp tofu,” says Emma Chung, author of Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make, so the quest for cubes of bean curd that are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside starts by getting rid of as much excess water as possible (and choosing a tofu labelled “firm” or “extra-firm” in the first place). “I usually do this by wrapping the tofu in tea towels, placing it between two large plates and putting a heavy pot or pan on top,” Chung says. After 10 minutes, you “should have a nice and firm tofu that will have a lovely texture, and it will be a lot easier to crisp up”.Guardian columnist Ravinder Bhogal, meanwhile, pops her tofu on a wire rack set over a tray and covers it with kitchen paper or a clean cloth: “Put a weight on top and leave it for a couple of hours, and ideally overnight – that will squeeze out the excess moisture
José Pizarro’s recipe for broad bean and mint tortilla with a manchego crust
In Spain we say, “Habas en abril empiezan y en abril se acaban” – that is, broad beans begin in April and end in April. In the UK, the season starts a bit later, around June, so we’ve got a bit more time yet to enjoy them. Still, the season is short, so I use these wonderful beans as much as I can, while I can. This is the kind of dish I’d make on a quiet afternoon: simple, full of flavour, nothing fancy. Just a nice way to enjoy what the season gives you, before it disappears again for another year
Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for tandoori chicken skewers with coriander chutney | Quick and easy
I’ve been on a quest for the perfect tandoori marinade (without the E numbers or red food colouring) for years, and tweak my recipe on every repeat. This one is easily my favourite so far: the cloves lend a wonderful smokiness, and if you can pop the chicken in the marinade in the morning, it will have taken on an amazing depth of flavour by the evening. This would work just as well on a barbecue – just scale up the amount of chicken and the marinade ingredients as needed.You will need four large metal or bamboo skewers (if using the latter, soak them in water for half an hour first). Serve with flatbreads or naan, and shredded lettuce, if you wish
Pastry perfection: Anna Higham’s recipes for chicken and herb pie and foldover pissaladière
Warmer weather always has me dreaming of elaborate picnics, just like the ones my mum used to take us on as kids. She made superlative chicken pies, and I always think of them at this time of year. Mum would use shop-bought pastry, but here I’ve made a herby rough puff to up the summery feeling. The onion and anchovy turnovers, meanwhile, are the perfect pocket savouries to keep you going on a long walk or day out. You could always make one batch of pastry and halve the amount of both fillings, so you can have some of each
How to make chocolate chip cookies – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass
Once upon a time, not so long ago, the only so-called chocolate chip cookies on offer in the UK were, in fact, biscuits – small, brittle ones peppered with tiny, waxy, cocoa-coloured pellets. When I finally discovered the soft, chewy American originals in a subterranean outlet at Birmingham New Street station, my teenage mind was officially blown. These are even better.Prep 25 min, plus chilling Cook 15 min Makes 15120g room-temperature butter 170g dark chocolate 75g light brown sugar 75g granulated sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract A pinch of salt 1 egg, beaten240g plain flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda Sea salt flakes (optional)Make sure your butter is soft enough to beat – if your kitchen is very cold, or you’ve forgotten to get it out of the fridge in time, dice it and leave it out on the counter while you gather together the rest of the ingredients. I tend to use salted butter for baking, as for everything else, but it’s up to you
Ragù, Bristol BS1: ‘I recommend it wholly, effusively and slightly enviously’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants
Ragù is a cool, minimal, romantic ode to Italian cooking that’s housed in a repurposed shipping container on Wapping Wharf in waterside Bristol. No, come back, please – don’t be scared. There are tables, chairs, napkins, reservations and all the other accoutrements of a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, even if this metal box may at some point in its existence once have been used to ship things to China and back. To my mind, Wapping Wharf has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and no longer feels at all like one of those novelty “box parks” that have about them a heavy whiff of the edgy temporary fixture. Today’s Wapping Wharf is a true independent food destination in its own right, and with a bird’s-eye view from one of Ragù’s window seats, while eating venison rump with gorgonzola dolce and sipping a booze-free vermouth, you can watch the crowds head for the likes of the modern French Lapin, Tokyo diner Seven Lucky Gods, modern British Box-E, Gurt Wings and many more; by day, there’s also a bakery, a butcher, a fromagerie and so on
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