On Day 13 of "Soft but Savage Diaries," this episode examines how leadership — especially during the Trump era — eroded trust in government and destabilized the U.S. economy. It explores how political spectacle, attacks on institutions, and policy choices affected consumer confidence, investment, and long-term planning.

The episode argues that the economic strain people feel today is driven not only by inflation and global pressures, but by a breakdown in accountability and democratic norms, and it calls for rebuilding trust as the foundation for economic recovery.