An Open Letter to Trump’s Opportunists and Enablers: The Selfish, the Spineless, and the Screwed

Part 2 of "The Anatomy of American Betrayal"—A 3-Part Series Exposing the 7 Types of Trump Voters Who Unleashed Disaster and Doomed Themselves

If you like this article, please share it, subscribe—a paid subscription would be amazing!—and tap the "Buy Me a Coffee" button. Your support keeps me fueled to call out the corrupt and complicit.

This is the second installment of “The Anatomy of American Betrayal,” a three-part series dissecting the seven types of Trump voters. We began with the worst of them—the cultists, the cowards, and the outrage junkies—and now move on to the ones who thought they could escape the consequences.

Introduction to Part 2

You Thought You Were Safe?

Maybe you didn’t worship Trump like the cultists did. Maybe you didn’t wear the red hat, didn’t chant at rallies, didn’t swallow every conspiracy theory. Maybe you even told yourself you weren’t really a Trump supporter—you just liked lower taxes, a booming stock market, and a president who wasn’t afraid to shake things up.

But guess what? You’re suffering, too.

Because Trump was never on your side. You thought you could coast through his presidency, shielded from the fallout. You thought your wealth, your status, or your silence would keep you safe.

You were wrong.

This part of the series is about two groups that should have known better:

• The Selfish Profiteers – the ones who actively chased personal gain, believing they could exploit Trump’s term to their advantage. They thought they were gaming the system—but they got played instead.

• The Willful Deniers – the ones who assumed their detachment would insulate them. They ignored the warning signs, convinced that everything would be ok. Now, they're watching their own world collapse.

They’re discovering, too late, that in Trump’s America, loyalty is a one-way street—and they were just another mark in the con.

---

Trump Voter Type 4: The Selfish Profiteers

Greed Over Country

You didn’t vote for Trump because you believed in him—you voted for Trump because you thought he would make you richer. Maybe you believed the stock market would boom, your business would thrive, or your taxes would go down. Maybe you just wanted your portfolio to grow while the rest of the country burned. You saw an opportunity in his ascent—a chance to line your pockets, expand your influence, and fortify your status. Ethics and integrity were mere obstacles in your relentless pursuit of wealth. You manipulated markets, exploited loopholes, and turned a blind eye to the suffering your actions inflicted on others. You cheered as he slashed regulations, knowing it would boost your bottom line. You ignored the economic warning signs because you assumed you'd cash out before the collapse. As long as your bank account was growing, everything else was just noise.

Well, how’s that working out now?

The market is in turmoil. Corporate layoffs are accelerating. Retail bankruptcies are piling up. The Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ are plummeting as investor confidence collapses, sending shockwaves through every sector. Economic indicators point to a deepening downturn, as businesses brace for shrinking growth and rising costs. Trump’s erratic tariff policies—announced, reversed, and reimposed in the span of days—have triggered massive losses, wiping out trillions in value almost overnight.

Your real estate investments? Tanking. Your 401(k)? Bleeding out. Your bonus? Vanished. The commercial real estate market? In freefall. Homeowners who refinanced under low interest rates pre-Trump are now trapped—unable to move because new mortgage rates are sky-high. Meanwhile, hedge funds and corporate landlords are buying up foreclosed homes, jacking up rents in working-class suburbs, and forcing families out of once-affordable neighborhoods. The tax cuts you thought were coming? Never materialized—unless, of course, you’re a billionaire. And, odds are, you’re not.

And now, Trump’s government purge is making it worse. His latest round of mass firings—overseen by Elon Musk—is gutting federal agencies and slashing thousands of jobs. His administration claims this phase will be done with a “scalpel” instead of a “hatchet,” but the reality is the same: government contracts drying up, small businesses losing funding, and entire sectors left in chaos. If you own a business that relies on federal stability—infrastructure, defense, healthcare—you just got caught in the crossfire.

The Tariff Nightmare You Ignored Is Now Here.

Trump’s trade war fantasy has become your economic disaster.

One moment, he’s imposing sweeping tariffs on Mexico and Canada, triggering retaliatory measures and a stock market nosedive. The next, he’s reversing them—but not before the damage is done.

Investors and businesses scramble to adjust, only for Trump to throw everything into chaos—again. The uncertainty has shattered corporate confidence, with economists warning that his constant tariff threats will keep companies from investing, hiring, or expanding. U.S. automakers have already halted production at multiple plants due to disrupted supply chains, with layoffs looming as parts from Mexico and Canada are caught in the tariff crossfire. Farmers who once cheered his trade war are now drowning in surplus crops, as China and the EU slap retaliatory tariffs on American exports.

Even U.S. automakers—once staunch Trump supporters—begged him to suspend tariffs that would have wiped out billions in revenue and collapsed their supply chains. Meanwhile, his administration admits prices will rise but insists there’s no problem. And with Trump doubling down on retaliatory tariffs against China, one thing is certain—your costs are going up, and the economy is going down.

Inflation? It’s Not Fake News Anymore.

Trump’s latest tariffs are a backdoor tax hike, raising prices on everything from groceries to home goods by an average of $1,200 per household.

Financial analysts warn that Trump’s policies are setting the stage for an economic collapse that could rival the Great Depression.

And that booming real estate market you counted on?

The Real Estate Bubble Just Burst.

You thought Trump was good for real estate, didn’t you? Yet thanks to his tariffs on Canadian lumber, Mexican drywall, and imported appliances, construction costs are soaring, making homes even less affordable. At the same time, his crackdown on undocumented workers has caused massive labor shortages in construction, further driving up home prices. The result? A housing crisis worse than before—unless, of course, you’re one of the hedge fund billionaires scooping up foreclosed properties at record speed.

The commercial real estate market? A disaster. If you were one of those small-time landlords who saw Trump as your ally, you’re now watching as vacant office spaces pile up, property values sink, and banks tighten lending.

Meanwhile, Trump’s deregulation has made it easier for hedge funds and massive corporations to buy up real estate, leaving independent investors scrambling. You thought you were gaming the system. Turns out, the system was gaming you.

The ‘Business President’ Was a Scam.

And speaking of “draining the swamp,” how’s that looking now?

Trump’s cabinet is once again stuffed with lobbyists, corporate raiders, and billionaire donors. The same people who got tax breaks last time are getting richer again—off the back of your labor, your tax dollars, and your losses. Even his biggest corporate backers are starting to panic as his economic mismanagement sends ripples through the financial sector.

Meanwhile, at his congressional address, GOP lawmakers stood and chanted “USA! USA!” as the economy tanked in real-time, proving they’ll follow him off any cliff he leads them to. But you? You’re still clinging to the illusion that a man who lost billions in casinos somehow has the master plan for your 401(k).

Trump didn’t build his empire on smart investments—he built it on fraud, bankruptcy, and exploitation. He’s not a businessman; he’s a conman. And the con worked, because you fell for it—hook, line, and sinker. You really thought a man with a gold-plated toilet was looking out for you?

But the economic collapse is just the beginning. Because when economies fail, strongmen tighten their grip. And Trump isn’t just watching the wreckage—he’s using it.

Now, as the economy spirals and the country inches closer to full-blown kleptocracy, you’re starting to realize that Trump’s America isn’t built for people like you. You’re not at the top of the food chain—you’re just another mark.

And if you’re still hoping for some last-minute tax break, good luck—most of the middle-class tax benefits from Biden’s term are set to expire this year, meaning 62% of Americans will actually see a tax increase.

And now, let’s be clear: No one is coming to save you.

The same liberals you sneered at for warning you? They’re trying to survive this mess too.

The same “elites” you raged at? They moved their money offshore before the collapse.

The same government agencies you wanted dismantled? They were the only institutions that might have stood between you and total financial ruin.

Now, it’s just you, the wreckage, and the growing realization that you fell for the scam of the century.

You thought you were winning.

Turns out, you were just useful.

And now that you’re broke, you’re not even that anymore.

You thought you were voting for a businessman.

Turns out, you were just another desperate investor in his latest scam.

---

Trump Voter Type 5: The Willful Deniers

Choosing Ignorance Over Integrity

You saw the corruption, the chaos, the outright criminality. Yet, you chose to ignore it all, convincing yourself that it was just "politics as usual." You dismissed the mounting evidence, the countless warnings, and the glaring signs, all because facing the truth was too inconvenient. You told yourself that your taxes would stay low, your retirement would be secure, and your community would remain untouched. You thought you could sit back, ignore the headlines, and let others handle it. But now, as Trump's second term barrels forward, reality is hitting you like a freight train—and it's not stopping.

Your Money Is Vanishing.

The stock market is in freefall. Retirement accounts are bleeding out, and Wall Street is in panic mode. Even the conservative Wall Street Journal is warning that Trump’s policies will set off a cascading economic collapse, akin to the Great Depression.

Small businesses are closing. The bank that gave your friend a loan? Shut down. The diner that’s been in your town for 30 years? Boarded up. The supply chain that kept your business running? Choked by tariffs, worker shortages, and erratic policy reversals.

Your home’s value is tanking. Foreclosures are spiking, and hedge funds are buying up property, turning once-affordable neighborhoods into high-rent wastelands. Meanwhile, interest rates remain sky-high, thanks to Trump’s war on the Federal Reserve, making it nearly impossible for middle-class families to buy a home.

Your Healthcare Is Dying.

Employer-based insurance isn’t what it used to be. Premiums are up, benefits are down, and if you have a pre-existing condition? Good luck. Trump’s gutting of the Affordable Care Act means that protections you once took for granted are gone.

Medicaid cuts are shutting down clinics. Your urgent care is closed, and the ER is overrun. Hope you weren’t counting on quick medical help. In rural areas, hospital closures have doubled, leaving entire regions without emergency care.

Prescription drugs are skyrocketing. Your wife’s cancer treatment? No longer covered. Your kid’s asthma medication? Triple the cost. Insulin? Ration it, or take out a loan. Drug companies, freed from regulation, are hiking prices at will.

Your Schools Are Collapsing.

Teachers are being laid off. The budget for public schools is slashed again, and class sizes are ballooning. Meanwhile, Trump’s education policies prioritize defunding public schools while funneling billions into unregulated private and religious institutions.

Special education programs are vanishing. If your kid has a learning disability, that’s your problem now. Federal funding for IDEA—the law guaranteeing special education—has been gutted.

Federal free lunch programs are gone. Millions of kids—including in deep-red states—are going hungry at school. And if your child’s school relied on federal funding for after-school programs, transportation, or even basic facility maintenance? That money’s gone too.

Your Social Safety Net? Gone.

Social Security is under attack. Trump’s latest “fraud crackdown” is a thinly veiled attempt to slash benefits. While billionaires pocket tax breaks, retirees are forced to prove they’re “eligible” for the benefits they spent their lives paying into.

Medicare is being privatized. That “great new plan” your parents signed up for? Turns out, it covers almost nothing. Trump's expansion of for-profit Medicare Advantage plans is stripping seniors of real healthcare coverage, while hospitals face financial ruin from unpaid Medicare reimbursements.

Retirement benefits are delayed indefinitely. That check you were counting on? Stuck in a bureaucratic black hole. The Social Security Administration, gutted by mass firings and hiring freezes, is taking months—sometimes years—to process claims. If you can’t afford to wait, too bad.

You Thought You Could Stay Out of Politics.

But now politics is inside your bank account, your home, your job, your community. The country is changing in ways you never thought possible—not at the hands of some progressive revolution, but under the very conman you voted for.

And now, you need help.

But the government you cheered on for “cutting the fat”? It has nothing left to give.

You Assumed It Wouldn’t Affect You. Now It’s Too Late.

You assumed you’d be fine when Trump slashed funding across nearly every major federal agency—the ones responsible for disaster relief, food safety, public health, housing, financial protections, veterans’ services, environmental oversight, workplace safety, consumer rights, and education. You waved it off as “big government waste.” But now, the very institutions you relied on are gone—and suddenly, you’re the one demanding help.

Disaster Relief Is a For-Profit Scheme. Hope You Can Afford It.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is gutted. Disaster relief is collapsing, and emergency response teams are overwhelmed. Storm victims wait months for aid, entire towns are left in ruins, and flood survivors are on their own.

Trump sold disaster response to private contractors. Need help after a wildfire or hurricane? Pay up. Emergency aid is now a profit-driven industry, where lifesaving relief goes to the highest bidder.

Federal relief funds are gone. Your town needs assistance? Get in line—right behind corporate donors. Insurance payouts are delayed, providers are pulling out, and rebuilding costs are skyrocketing. When the next disaster strikes, you won’t just be fighting for survival—you’ll be fighting to afford it.

Your Food, Water, and Medicine Are No Longer Safe.

• FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is barely functional. Grocery shelves are stocked with tainted meat, unsafe baby formula, and expired drugs.

• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is crumbling. New disease outbreaks aren’t being tracked, hospitals are running out of vaccines, and rural clinics are closing. A deadly flu strain is sweeping the country—good luck finding a hospital bed. The measles outbreak in your kid’s school? (Thanks RFK, Jr.!) No resources left to contain it.

• WHO (World Health Organization) is defunded. Global pandemic tracking has collapsed, and foreign governments no longer share data with the U.S. You’re on your own.

Veterans Are Being Abandoned.

• VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) is in shambles. The agency has been gutted, 80,000 jobs slashed, and medical centers are closing. Veterans in red states—where private healthcare is scarce—are waiting months for doctor appointments. That PTSD treatment for your brother who served in Afghanistan? Canceled.

Your Job, Wages, and Work Safety Are Under Attack.

• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is barely operational. That factory your husband works in? No longer required to report safety violations.

• NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) is weakened. Your boss can fire you for trying to unionize, and no one will stop them.

• EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is stripped down. Workplace discrimination lawsuits? Not being investigated.

Your Home, Rent, and Basic Consumer Protections Are Gone.

• HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) is slashed. That rent assistance program you counted on? Gone.

• CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) has been neutered. Banks and payday lenders are back to predatory practices. The fine print in your mortgage? You just lost your home.

• FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is no longer enforcing consumer protections. That “warranty” you thought covered your car repairs? Turns out, it was a scam—and now there’s no one to stop it.

Public Transit and Roads Are Crumbling.

• DOT (Department of Transportation) has been gutted. That bridge you drive over every morning? Structurally unsound.

• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is defunded. Storm tracking is unreliable, and your town was caught off guard by the last hurricane

You Thought Ignoring Politics Would Keep You Safe.

And yet, here you are—still pretending none of this is your fault. Still telling yourself that you “just voted for lower taxes” or that “both sides are bad.” But deep down, you know the truth. You knew this was coming. You just didn’t care until it landed on your doorstep.

And now, you’re the one looking for help, making excuses, trying to find someone to blame.

You thought ignoring politics would keep you safe.

But there’s no one left to save you. No safety nets. No lifelines. No government agencies left to answer your call.

So tell me—now that it’s your job, your home, your family's safety on the line—do you still think this isn’t your problem?

Or are you finally ready to admit the truth?

Because this wreckage? You created it.

And now? You’re trapped inside it.

---

Conclusion to Part 2

No One Is Safe

You thought Trump was a means to an end—that you could use him to line your pockets, keep your taxes low, or stay out of the fight altogether.

Now, it’s your turn to fall.

The system you helped break is swallowing you whole. The safety nets you mocked are gone. The government you cheered for gutting has nothing left to save you. The leader you thought would protect you is already looking for his next sacrifice.

But there are still two more groups left—the ones who should have seen it coming but refused. The ones who convinced themselves that fear and faith would keep them safe.

The the voters who let panic override reason and the Christians who swore Trump was sent by God.

That’s Part 3: The Fearful & The Hypocrites.

Plus, a bonus group! The Non-Voters—the spectators who let it all happen.

Up Next: The Fearful & The Hypocrites + A Bonus Group!

Upgrade to a paid subscription for early access to Part 3!

---

Read Part 1…

An Open Letter to Trump’s True Believers: The Cult That Sold Out America—and Itself

Part 1 of "The Anatomy of American Betrayal"—A 3-Part Series Exposing the 7 Types of Trump Voters Who Unleashed Disaster and Doomed Themselves

An Open Letter to Trump’s Fearful and Faithful: The Panicked, the Pious, and the Pathetic

The Final Chapter of "The Anatomy of American Betrayal"—A 3-Part Series Exposing the 7 Types of Trump Voters Who Unleashed Disaster and Doomed Themselves

We all have someone in our lives—a family member, friend, or acquaintance—whose support for Trump has created a divide. Perhaps you've tried reasoning with them, only to hit a wall of conflicting narratives, partisan media spin, or deeply ingrained misinformation. Maybe you've watched your relationship strain, wondering if there's a way to bridge the gap.

That's where I come in.

I'm offering a new personalized service: If you wish to communicate with a Trump-supporting loved one—whether to mend a strained relationship, share your concerns, or foster mutual understanding—I will craft a custom message tailored to your situation.

This service isn't about scorn or confrontation. It's about precision, empathy, and diplomacy. The goal isn't to "win" an argument—it's to connect. I'll help you frame your thoughts using facts, logic, and emotional intelligence to maximize the chances of a meaningful conversation.

How It Works

📩 Step 1: Send me a direct message on Substack to get started (click on my profile, then select “Message” or click the button below).

💬 Step 2: We'll discuss your situation—who you want to reach, key topics, preferred style and tone, and your ultimate goal. The cost is $129. 20% off for paid subscribers.

✍ Step 3: I’ll craft a message tailored to your needs, and we’ll refine it together until it’s just right.

This is a chance to reclaim a connection, even a small one. If you’re interested, let’s get started.

This is a chance to reclaim a connection, even a small one. If you’re interested, let’s get started.

See the sample letter below for an example of how I approach these messages.

---

Sample Letter

A reader of mine wanted to reach out to his sister, who, during the lead-up to the election, had grown obsessed with immigration and border issues, convinced that the U.S. has an "open border" and that crime is on the rise because of undocumented immigrants. He aimed to confront these beliefs with facts while preserving the warmth of their sibling relationship.

Hi [Sister’s Name],

I hope you’re doing well. I’ve been thinking about some of the things we’ve talked about recently, especially immigration and the border. I know this issue is important to you, and I really respect that you care so much about the country. That’s why I wanted to share a few things I’ve been reading lately—stuff that’s challenged my own thinking, and I thought might interest you too.

One thing I looked into was the idea of an “open border.” I know we hear that phrase a lot, and honestly, I used to assume it might be true. But when I checked the actual numbers, I was surprised—border security funding is actually at record highs, and the Biden administration has kept many of Trump’s enforcement policies in place. In fact, over 2 million people were apprehended at the southern border just last year. That’s not what an open border looks like.

I also saw a Los Angeles Times article that reported illegal crossings have dropped to a three-year low—down from May's 3,800 daily crossings to about 2,000 now. That’s a huge decline, and it’s happening because of enforcement policies, not because the border is “open.”

Something else I didn’t realize is that a bipartisan immigration bill was proposed in 2024 that could have strengthened border security even more. But Trump told Republican senators to block it, and they did. That really made me think—if immigration is such a crisis, why would he want to stop a bill that would have helped?

I also started looking into the idea that immigrants are driving crime, and I was surprised at what I found. Studies from both Pew Research and the Cato Institute show that immigrants—both documented and undocumented—are actually less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans. That really stood out to me, because it’s so different from what we hear on the news.

Speaking of crime, I know Trump often says crime is skyrocketing, but when I looked at the FBI’s numbers, the homicide rate actually dropped by 22.7% in the first half of this year. Overall, violent crime is down 10.3%, making it the lowest it’s been since 1969. That’s a huge contrast to the “American carnage” narrative we hear.

And that’s when it hit me—these issues are complicated, but the way they’re presented in the media makes them sound so much scarier than they really are. It’s not an accident. Politicians and networks like Fox News know that fear gets people engaged, gets them to vote a certain way, and keeps them tuning in. Once I started noticing that pattern, I realized how often I was being manipulated without even realizing it.

I know it can be frustrating to feel like we’re not being told the full story. That’s exactly why I wanted to share some of what I’ve found. I care about you, and I want to make sure we’re making sense of things with the best information, not just what someone wants us to believe.

If you’re open to it, I’d love to keep talking about this. I can send over some of the sources I’ve been reading if you’re interested.

Love,
[Your Name]

---