by Joyce McClure, Bridge2Blue
“I found out that nobody cared, and I’m allowed to.”
Those are some of the most consequential words spoken during Donald Trump’s presidency. He was explaining why he no longer saw any reason to limit or be secretive about his family’s business dealings while serving as president of the United States.
Maybe he was right that some Americans don’t care. But Virginians should. Because when the line between public office and private profit disappears, the consequences don’t stay in the White House. They reach our farms, our hospitals, our research laboratories, our small businesses and our kitchen tables.
Americans have watched an unprecedented blurring of the line between public office and private profit since Trump took office nearly 18 months ago: cryptocurrency ventures run by his family, billion-dollar business deals announced while in office, gifts from foreign governments, pardons benefiting political allies and convicted criminals.
Regardless of where you stand politically, one question matters more than the daily headlines: Who pays the price?
For Virginians, the answer is clear: We do.
Virginia’s economy depends on the federal government more than almost any other state’s. Hundreds of thousands of Virginians work for federal agencies, military installations, intelligence organizations, defense contractors, research universities and businesses that rely on federal spending. Virginia felt the impact of DOGE’s slash-and-burn rampage through Washington almost immediately.
- Federal workers lost their jobs.
- Hospitals are struggling.
- Farmers facing rising costs.
- Families paying more for groceries, gas, insurance, housing.
- Research funding disappearing.
These hardships—the direct consequences of federal and Presidential actions—compound into a broader community impact that weakens local economies, strains essential services, and leaves Virginians with fewer resources to weather rising costs and growing instability.
Families are Paying the Price
Virginia families don’t need an economics degree to know when government policies affect their wallets. The average household has absorbed roughly $2,300 in additional costs since Trump’s return to office, according to an analysis using federal inflation data. Every trip to the grocery store, every utility bill and every family budget reminds Virginians that the Trump administration’s policies have consequences at home.
The USDA projects grocery prices will rise another 2.8% this year. Families simply know they’re paying more while getting less.
Farmers are Paying the Price
Virginia’s farmers are being squeezed from every direction. Diesel prices surged 46%, tariffs increased the cost of equipment and parts, and export markets have become less predictable. Trump’s self-serving, unilateral war with Iran disrupted fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and prices jumped 30% to 50%.
The result? Nearly six in ten farmers report their financial condition has worsened, and roughly 70% say they cannot afford all the fertilizer they need to maximize their yields. For an industry contributing more than $80 billion annually to Virginia’s economy, those aren’t just farm problems—they’re Virginia’s problems.
Farmers cannot simply raise prices enough to recover every additional expense. They absorb the loss. Some will never recover.
Communities are Paying the Price
One out of every three rural hospitals in Virginia is now considered financially vulnerable. Republican policy changes and funding reductions tied to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid are to blame for accelerating closures. These hospitals are often the largest employer in the county, an economic anchor for surrounding businesses and the only emergency room for miles.
A U.S. Government Accountability Office study found that when rural hospitals close, residents travel about 20 additional miles for common hospital care, while emergency transport times increase by 11 to nearly 16 minutes. In a heart attack, stroke or serious accident, those minutes can determine whether someone lives, dies or suffers permanent disability.
Federal Workers are Paying the Price
Virginia has already lost approximately 23,500 civilian federal jobs, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Those aren’t just statistics. They’re engineers in Northern Virginia, scientists in Charlottesville, analysts in Richmond and military support staff in Hampton Roads whose jobs were eliminated by Elon Musk and his merry band of 20-somethings with no knowledge of how government works.
Economists generally estimate that each federal job supports additional jobs in the private economy through spending on housing, restaurants, retail, professional services, health care, and local businesses. The exact multiplier varies by region and methodology, but it means the impact extends well beyond the federal payroll.
Research Universities are Paying the Price
Virginia’s research universities are among the Commonwealth’s greatest economic engines. UVA, Virginia Tech and VCU alone account for nearly $1.8 billion annually in sponsored research and research expenditures. Those dollars fund graduate students, lab technicians, small businesses that supply equipment, construction projects and tomorrow’s start-up companies.
Since Trump returned to office, his federal grant terminations and funding reductions have disrupted research across Virginia. Every canceled grant means medical discoveries delayed, scientists lost to other countries and patients waiting longer for the next breakthrough.
Ultimately, All of Us are Paying the Price
Perhaps the greatest cost never appears in a federal budget—trust.
Government works only when citizens believe public officials are serving the public—not themselves.
Virginia understands that principle.
Sheriffs have gone to prison for accepting bribes. Public officials have been convicted of stealing taxpayer money. Former Governor Bob McDonnell’s gifts scandal prompted Virginia to strengthen its ethics laws because citizens understood that public trust requires standards higher than simply avoiding criminal prosecution.
The same principle applies to the Republican side of the aisle that’s kowtowing to Trump while hiding from their angry constituents.
No president should leave Americans wondering whether government decisions are driven by the national interest or by private financial interests. Yet that’s exactly what Trump and his cronies are doing day in and day out.
Every hour spent defending ethics controversies is an hour not spent solving problems. Every decision clouded by conflicts of interest weakens confidence in government. Every appearance of self-dealing undermines faith that public service is still about serving the public.
The White House is called the People’s House for a reason. It belongs to the American people—not to any president, family, political party or circle of friends.
There is no place there for personal enrichment.
There is no place there for self-dealing.
There is no place there for an administration that serves itself before it serves its citizens.
Virginia deserves better. America deserves better.
And this November, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to demand it. It’s time to send Trump and his Republican sycophants back to where they came from.
