In the first term of his presidency, Donald J. Trump targeted a welfare system that many Republicans view as a gross misuse of resources — a rule that extends food stamps to millions of individuals whose income exceeds the usual eligibility threshold. Although his proposed changes could have saved billions, they would have also hurt low-income workers who are striving to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, a goal that conservatives claim to endorse. The efforts to scale back the program were thwarted by advocates for the needy during the pandemic, but they illustrate the challenge that Mr. Trump may face as he pledges to cut spending in his second term while appealing to the working class. Republicans are contemplating deep cuts in safety net spending, in part to offset substantial tax cuts aimed primarily at the wealthy. However, some of the programs they propose to cut affect not only the poorest Americans but also the struggling working-class voters who were instrumental in electing Mr. Trump in November. This situation is a testament to the growing support that the Republican Party is receiving from individuals who could be adversely affected by standard conservative policies.
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