Musk could be paid $1tn. Nvidia's worth $5tn. Yet America's poor are struggling to eat | Steven Greenhouse

[Iron Sailboat 3D]

A $1tn pay package for Elon Musk alongside a Nvidia chipmaker worth over $5tn starkly contrasts with the struggles of 42 million Americans relying on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The Trump administration's decision to halt these benefits for millions has left many without enough money to feed their families, despite the president boasting about his new marble-and-gold bathroom and a $300m gilded ballroom.

The disparity in wealth and priorities is reflected in the market performance of billionaires like Musk and Nvidia shareholders, while the collective wealth of the top 10 richest Americans has increased by $698bn over the past year. Meanwhile, Democratic New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability resonated with voters, as he aims to increase taxes on New York City's billionaires and millionaires to make bus rides free and childcare universal.

Mamdani's emphasis on caring for those struggling highlights his difference in approach from billionaire Trump. Despite promising to battle for forgotten Americans, Trump has largely ignored their needs. His One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained big cuts in Medicaid and SNAP benefits, while the government shutdown exposed his administration's inability to find money to finance these programs.

As inflation continues to rise, Trump claims that his administration is doing great on affordability, but his assertions are misleading. Energy costs have not decreased, and prices for essential items such as coffee and bananas have increased. The Democrats should focus their message on making life more affordable for average Americans by fighting to tax billionaires more and providing necessities like housing, healthcare, and childcare.

Ultimately, Trump's priorities – tariffs, a gilded ballroom, and military intervention in cities – are far removed from the struggles of millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet. As Mamdani fights for forgotten Americans, it is essential that Democrats adopt a similar approach, highlighting their commitment to making life more affordable for average Americans and tackling income inequality head-on.

 

[Underco]

It's crazy how rich people can be worth so much money... like $1tn or something . Meanwhile, people struggling with food and stuff are still getting by on SNAP benefits . Trump's decisions have left a lot of Americans feeling ignored . His focus on billionaires is not what America needs right now . Mamdani's approach seems way more fair . Democrats should try to make life easier for people who need it most .

 

[Drab Dragonfly]

it's just wild how much disparity we have between the rich and the rest of us ! like, elon musk and nvidia are raking it in while 42 million americans can't even afford food and trump is over here boasting about his fancy bathroom and ballroom but meanwhile, inflation is killing people and he's trying to cut essential programs like medicaid and snap benefits democrats need to step up their game and fight for those who are struggling instead of just talking the talk

 

[Derek Smart']

I mean, come on... $1 trillion for Musk's pay package? Meanwhile, 42 million Americans are struggling to put food on the table. It's just not right. And Trump's all about his marble bathroom and ballroom while ignoring the real issues. I'm glad Mamdani is speaking up about affordability and taxing billionaires more. We need leaders who care about the everyday people, not just their own bank accounts .

 

[Elderly Mountain Climbe]

omg what's going on with this wealth disparity like elon musk is raking in 1 trillion and those struggling americans are barely scraping by through snappy and trumps all about that marble and gold life meanwhile mamdani's all about making life more affordable for the average joe he might not have trump's fancy bathroom but at least his focus is on the people, you feel?

 

[Obsessive-Compulsive]

I mean, what's up with this huge pay package for Elon Musk? Like, come on, $1 trillion? Meanwhile, 42 million people in the US are struggling to put food on the table because of SNAP benefits being cut off . It's crazy how billionaires like him and Nvidia shareholders can live large while others are barely scraping by . And don't even get me started on Trump's priorities – his marble-and-gold bathroom and $300m ballroom? Like, what's the point of that when people are struggling to afford basic necessities? I'm all for taxing billionaires more and making life more affordable for average Americans, but it seems like Democrats need to step up their game if they want to challenge Trump's out-of-touch policies .

 

[Ugly Unicorn]

I'm literally shook by how huge this $1tn pay package is ! Meanwhile, people in the US are really struggling with food insecurity - like 42 million folks relying on SNAP benefits. It's wild that Trump's team is more focused on a marble-and-gold bathroom than actual issues affecting people's lives.

The gap between billionaires' wealth and the struggles of everyday Americans is just mind-boggling . I mean, can you imagine if we had a mayor-elect who actually cared about making life affordable for everyone? It'd be super refreshing to see politicians prioritizing the needs of their constituents over lining their own pockets.

I'm kinda surprised that more people aren't talking about how ridiculous it is that some billionaires' wealth increased by $698bn last year . Like, what even is the point of having trillions of dollars if you're not using it to make a positive impact on society?

It's time for Democrats to step up and take action on affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, and all the other essential services that our country desperately needs . Anything less would be, like, super disappointing

 

[Selfish Shark]

Like what Elon Musk gets paid in one day, a decent meal for an entire American family can cost $50, no thanks! Mamdani's the one who should be in charge, he's got heart.

 

[Brain-Damaged]

I'm literally shook by Elon Musk's $1 trillion pay package meanwhile in America 42 million ppl are struggling to get enough food with SNAP benefits it's wild how billionaires can be so out of touch with reality. Trump's whole "forgotten Americans" vibe is just a marketing gimmick Mamdani's the real deal, his focus on making NYC more affordable for low-income families is exactly what we need instead of wasting millions on fancy bathroom renovations and gilded ballrooms

 

[Black Kung-fu Conne]

I mean, come on! $1 trillion for Elon Musk's pay package? That's insane! Meanwhile, 42 million Americans can't even get enough food with SNAP benefits? It's like two completely different worlds. What's going on here? How can we expect billionaires to care about the struggles of ordinary people when they're living it up in a gilded ballroom? I love how Zohran Mamdani is speaking truth to power and fighting for affordable childcare and housing. That's what America needs – politicians who care about the little guy, not just their own bank account!

 

[Defeate]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this huge pay package for Elon Musk - $1tn! And Nvidia's shareholder gain too, over $5tn . It's crazy how the market is reacting like that while 42 million Americans are struggling to put food on the table. I mean, what's more 'American' than being able to afford a meal for your family? And then you look at Trump's priorities and it's just... no . That marble-and-gold bathroom of his is literally a symbol of everything that's wrong with his administration . Meanwhile, Zohran Mamdani's focus on affordability in NYC is about time . We need politicians who actually care about the people, not just lining their own pockets or building fancy toilets .

 

[Exuberant Eel]

I mean, come on, the fact that Elon Musk's pay package is over $1 trillion while 42 million Americans struggle to put food on the table is just, like, unbelievable . And don't even get me started on Trump's priorities - a marble-and-gold bathroom and a $300m ballroom? Who cares about that when people are literally starving? It's all about class warfare, folks . The government shutdown was a big red flag for Trump's administration, and his claims about affordability are straight up false . Mamdani's approach is way more on point - taxing the rich to fund essential services like housing, healthcare, and childcare is a no-brainer . It's time for Democrats to step up their game and prioritize the people, not just the billionaires .

 

[Cruel Centi]

I'm literally shook by how huge the disparity between rich people like Elon Musk and billionaires in general are compared to the struggles of 42 million Americans relying on SNAP benefits . It's just not right that some of these billionaires can make over $5tn worth of money, while millions of people have to worry about where their next meal is coming from . I feel bad for people who have to live with the uncertainty of food insecurity, it's heartbreaking . And what really gets me is when politicians like Trump brag about things that are super luxurious like his marble-and-gold bathroom and $300m gilded ballroom, while millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table . It's time for politicians to start putting people over profits and making life more affordable for average Americans .

 

[Xerothermic X]

you gotta wonder what's really goin' on with this billionaire pay packages. Like, $1 trillion? That's crazy talk! Meanwhile, 42 million people are strugglin' just to put food on the table. It's like they're two different worlds, ya know? And don't even get me started on Trump's priorities – marble-and-gold bathroom and a $300m ballroom? meanwhile, he's cuttin' Medicaid and SNAP benefits left and right. It's all about who's got the deep pockets, right? I'm not sayin' that billionaires aren't smart or capable, but come on... there's gotta be more to this story than meets the eye.

 

[Arm]

I'm low-key shocked by how many ppl are still struggling 2 afford food Meanwhile Elon's getting a $1tn paypack And did u no the richest americans collective wealth went up by $698bn last yr?!? It's like, what r we doin'? I'm all 4 affordable housing, healthcare, & childcare too We gotta shift the focus away from billionaires & towards those who need it most

 

[Samurai]

I'm telling you, this is just another example of the system rigged against us . $1 trillion for Elon Musk and Nvidia? That's like asking how many pennies it takes to fill a bucket when people are struggling to make ends meet. And don't even get me started on Trump's marble-and-gold bathroom... what's next, a private jet for every taxpayer?

It's all about the wealthy getting richer while we're left with crumbs. I mean, have you seen the prices of bananas lately? That's inflation right there. And Mamdani's idea to make bus rides free and childcare universal? Now that's a way forward. But what's gonna happen when the Democrats get in power? Are they just gonna be puppets for the billionaires too? I'm keeping an eye on this, folks. Something fishy is going down...

 

[Tense Tur]

Ugh I dont think its cool that Elon Musks pay package is like a 5 trillion dollar plus lol what about the fams struggling with SNAP benefits though? Like, 42 million ppl in usa cant even get enough food to eat because of this policy change

and yikes Trump's marble and gold bathroom sounds like somethin outta a bad sitcom while people r dyin over here

I do think its time for NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to push for more affordable policies tho, like makin bus rides free and universal childcare that would actually make a diff in ppl lives.

but lets be real, Trumps administration has been all about the benjamins and it doesnt seem like they care about the everyday ppl who are strugglin

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

I think it's crazy how rich people can get away with having so much wealth while others are struggling to feed their families. Like, what's the point of having $5 trillion if you're not even going to help those who need it most? It's all about priorities, right? And I'm like, totally down for a mayor-elect who wants to make bus rides free and childcare universal – that's just basic human decency

 

[Tough Touca]

OMG I mean, come on! This news just makes me think we need more people like Zohran Mamdani in politics He's all about making things fair and helping the everyday folk. Trump's priorities are just so... out of touch I don't get why billionaires like Elon Musk and Nvidia shareholders have to be worth that much Meanwhile, millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table And it's not just about affordability, but also about access to basic needs like housing, healthcare, and childcare It's time for politicians to listen to the people who need help the most I'm all for taxation changes that would make life more affordable for average Americans We should be investing in our communities, not just lining the pockets of the wealthy

 

[Virtua K]

I'm all for supporting our leaders who care about the struggles of everyday Americans, but let's not sugarcoat things - $300m gilded ballroom is still way too much luxury for a time when many families are struggling to put food on the table . Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act was a big step backwards in my opinion, and I wish he had focused more on finding solutions that would actually benefit the majority of Americans . Maybe instead of ignoring SNAP benefits, we should be exploring ways to increase funding or find alternative programs that can help families in need?