Hunger deepens in a rural community hit by Trump’s cuts

Trump voters in a rural West Virginia community say they are finding it harder to put food on the table, according to NBC News. Federal assistance reaching local food pantries through the USDA has declined, while grocery costs keep climbing, leaving families squeezed from two directions. NBC News describes hunger deepening in a place affected by the president's cuts.

The pressure is not confined to one town. Of the food banks surveyed, nearly 75% said they were seeing demand rise. That figure indicates pantries are being asked to serve more people just as the government support behind them shrinks.

NBC News correspondent Shannon Pettypiece reported the findings on Oct. 12, 2026, relaying the accounts of West Virginians who backed Trump and now describe struggling with everyday food expenses. The coverage arrived amid a broader run of NBC News programming on the economy as the midterm elections approach, including segments on Trump campaigning on the economy and on voter frustration with high prices.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News →