Today, Defend America Action released a new report detailing how tens of millions of American gig workers are getting crushed under Donald Trump’s economy, hit simultaneously by tariff-driven inflation, war-spiked gas prices, and Republican health care sabotage. The report, first published by American Journal News, shows how gig workers have been some of the most hurt by Trump’s repeated broken promises to working families.
Thanks to Trump’s war of choice in Iran, gas prices have surged 60%, draining the earnings of rideshare drivers and independent truckers who have no way to pass those costs on. Diesel is up more than 54% year-over-year, pushing independent owner-operators into the red every time they fill up. Meanwhile, Trump’s policies have driven wholesale inflation to 6%, and the average American has spent $2,300 more on goods and services under Trump so far. Every one of those costs lands directly on self-employed workers with no employer cushion.
Then there’s health care. After Trump and Republicans killed ACA premium tax credits, marketplace premiums jumped 114% on average for the self-employed workers who relied on them most. Republicans also cut $1 trillion from Medicaid, which 20% of self-employed Americans depend on for coverage.
Gig workers built their livelihoods on flexibility and hustle. Trump and Republicans are making that impossible.
A full copy of the report can be found here.
###