Latest news with #DMV-based
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DC matchmaker says political polarization 'on steroids' as liberals refuse to date Trump voters, Tesla owners
Matchmakers near America's capital say that liberals are refusing to date supporters of President Donald Trump, and are now wary of Tesla owners as well. Political polarization, particularly that between young men and women, has become an internationally recognized phenomenon in recent years. One example from pop culture came last month when "Love is Blind" stars Sara Carton and Ben Mezzenga did not get married during the season finale because Carton had reservations about Mezzenga's religious and political viewpoints, including Black Lives Matter. Axios' Mimi Montgomery reported that political polarization is acutely felt in the Washington, D.C., area, as government officials and operatives of political parties look for love. 'Love Is Blind' Star Sara Carton Rejects Ben Mezzenga At The Altar Over Views On Religion, Black Lives Matter "It's just so polarizing," DMV-based matchmaker Susan Trombetti told Axios. "It always has been, but it's on steroids now." One new aspect driving tension in the dating world is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laying off government workers in the Washington, D.C., area. A new fixture in many dating app bios, D.C. singles reportedly told Axios, is "Laid off by DOGE." Read On The Fox News App D.C.-based matchmaker Kat Markiewicz spoke about current polarization, noting that many clients quickly declare they will never date someone from the opposite political before she can even ask. The problem has worsened with the new administration, particularly with Tesla founder Elon Musk's involvement at DOGE. "Four years ago, five years ago, I was hearing, 'Oh, I couldn't date a Trump supporter,'" Markiewicz told Axios. "Now it's like, 'I cannot date someone if they drive a Tesla.'" OKCupid, a popular dating app known for analyzing trends among their users, gave Axios statistics confirming how the dating game has changed. The app's representatives claimed that before last summer, 45% of the app's users in D.C. said they wanted to match with a member of their own political party. That number rose to 51% after Trump was elected in November and then to 58% after Inauguration Day. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Trump supporters are reportedly behaving differently now than they did during Trump's first term, too. "Despite the tension, more Washingtonians are openly expressing their conservative views on dating apps, users tell Axios — a departure from Trump's first term, when some conservatives listed their political affiliation as 'moderate' in their bios," Axios' Montgomery said. One DC resident reported seeing numerous photos on dating apps of people posing with the president or appearing in his Oval Office. "It's interesting how the new administration has allowed people to feel more open about what they believe in this city," she article source: DC matchmaker says political polarization 'on steroids' as liberals refuse to date Trump voters, Tesla owners
Fox News
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
DC matchmaker says political polarization 'on steroids' as liberals refuse to date Trump voters, Tesla owners
Matchmakers near America's capital say that liberals are refusing to date supporters of President Donald Trump, and are now wary of Tesla owners as well. Political polarization, particularly that between young men and women, has become an internationally recognized phenomenon in recent years. One example from pop culture came last month when "Love is Blind" stars Sara Carton and Ben Mezzenga did not get married during the season finale because Carton had reservations about Mezzenga's religious and political viewpoints, including Black Lives Matter. Axios' Mimi Montgomery reported that political polarization is acutely felt in the Washington, D.C., area, as government officials and operatives of political parties look for love. "It's just so polarizing," DMV-based matchmaker Susan Trombetti told Axios. "It always has been, but it's on steroids now." One new aspect driving tension in the dating world is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laying off government workers in the Washington, D.C., area. A new fixture in many dating app bios, D.C. singles reportedly told Axios, is "Laid off by DOGE." D.C.-based matchmaker Kat Markiewicz spoke about current polarization, noting that many clients quickly declare they will never date someone from the opposite political before she can even ask. The problem has worsened with the new administration, particularly with Tesla founder Elon Musk's involvement at DOGE. "Four years ago, five years ago, I was hearing, 'Oh, I couldn't date a Trump supporter,'" Markiewicz told Axios. "Now it's like, 'I cannot date someone if they drive a Tesla.'" OKCupid, a popular dating app known for analyzing trends among their users, gave Axios statistics confirming how the dating game has changed. The app's representatives claimed that before last summer, 45% of the app's users in D.C. said they wanted to match with a member of their own political party. That number rose to 51% after Trump was elected in November and then to 58% after Inauguration Day. Trump supporters are reportedly behaving differently now than they did during Trump's first term, too. "Despite the tension, more Washingtonians are openly expressing their conservative views on dating apps, users tell Axios — a departure from Trump's first term, when some conservatives listed their political affiliation as 'moderate' in their bios," Axios' Montgomery said. One DC resident reported seeing numerous photos on dating apps of people posing with the president or appearing in his Oval Office. "It's interesting how the new administration has allowed people to feel more open about what they believe in this city," she said.
Axios
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
D.C. dating is disrupted by DOGE cuts
The hunt for love in D.C. is more fraught than ever — and matchmakers and local singles say you can blame President Trump's second-term policies. The big picture: It's not news that dating has become highly partisan, especially in a town as politically obsessed as Washington. D.C. residents overwhelmingly vote Democratic, and Trump staffers and right-wing supporters have found it difficult to find a date among the city's more liberal permanent dwellers since the first administration. But lately: "It's just so polarizing," says DMV-based matchmaker Susan Trombetti. "It always has been, but it's on steroids now." Liberal, single Washingtonians are feeling increasingly averse to dating Trump supporters because the president's hits to the federal workforce and the city of D.C. feel so personal, say matchmakers. And there's a new description appearing on dating app bios, D.C. singles tell Axios: "Laid off by DOGE.'" What they're saying: "Things feel chaotic in their professional lives, and I think it's kind of rolling over into their personal lives as well," says Kat Markiewicz, a D.C.-based matchmaker at Three Day Rule Matchmaking. Half of Markiewicz's clients are people with government-connected jobs. Many tell her they'd never date someone from across the political aisle before she can even ask. And it's not just a vote for Trump that's a dealbreaker for these left-leaning D.C. singles. "Four years ago, five years ago, I was hearing, 'Oh, I couldn't date a Trump supporter,'" says Markiewicz. "Now it's like, 'I cannot date someone if they drive a Tesla.'" By the numbers: Before last summer, 45% of OkCupid users in D.C. said they wanted to match with a member of their political party, OkCupid tells Axios. That number jumped to 51% after Trump was elected in November, and spiked to 58% after Inauguration Day. Zoom in: Some dating app users are sharing in their profiles that they were laid off by DOGE and are now unemployed — and are therefore looking to go on no-cost or inexpensive dates, say D.C. singles. Shaw resident Samantha White tells Axios that she had a former federal worker cancel a date because they said they needed to save money. There's been an "ominous" air on some of her recent dates, says White. "Sometimes you spend 10 minutes joking about, like, 'Oh, I don't know if I'll have a job tomorrow.'" What we're hearing: In classic Washington fashion, some now-unemployed singles are even using dating apps as a networking tool. Shaw resident Peter Durkin says he's seen fellow app-users state in their bios that if a romantic connection doesn't pan out, they'd at least like to land potential job connections. Between the lines: More of Markiewicz's DMV clients are open to being connected with matches in other cities, she says, because they're not certain how long they'll be in D.C. due to the job climate. And some matchmaking clients backed out of signing contracts at the last minute because they said they needed to budget for fear of losing their jobs, the matchmakers tell Axios. The intrigue: Despite the tension, more Washingtonians are openly expressing their conservative views on dating apps, users tell Axios — a departure from Trump's first term, when some conservatives listed their political affiliation as "moderate" in their bios. White tells Axios she's seen several photos on dating app profiles of people posing with Trump or in his Oval Office. "It's interesting how the new administration has allowed people to feel more open about what they believe in this city," she says.
Axios
08-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
How Trump's tariffs will affect your favorite D.C. small business
D.C.'s small business community and maker scene are scrambling to navigate President Trump's tariffs, business owners tell Axios. The big picture: The " Liberation Day" tariffs are imposing a baseline 10% tariff on U.S. imports. China, meanwhile, is set to see 104% tariffs. They're hitting virtually every country on earth (except Russia) and nearly all goods. And they're set to take effect Wednesday. Zoom in: Many D.C. business owners are worried the tariffs will mean they have to up prices — potentially deterring customers at a time when they have less money to spend. Increased costs could also impact hiring and expansion. By the numbers: The District has over 75,000 small businesses, comprising over 98% of all businesses in the city, per the Greater Washington Board of Trade And small businesses employ 48% of D.C.'s workforce. The intrigue: "Locally made" is a big selling point for many DMV-based products — but many of the materials used to assemble these items come from overseas, says Carina Romo of Shop Made in D.C. Think tea leaves, tins for candles, cans for drinks, packaging, hardware — the list goes on. The chainlet's makers are currently trying to increase stock so they don't have to raise prices. But "supply and pricing remain the biggest questions right now," Romo tells Axios. Case in point: " We are very worried" about being able to remain in business, says Rebecca Melsky, co-founder of Princess Awesome, a local children's clothing brand that's been around since 2013. (Melsky lives in Brookland, her co-founder in Silver Spring.) Manufacturing clothes in the U.S. is difficult, says Melsky — it's cheaper, more streamlined and more efficient to work with foreign manufacturers. "Small businesses," she says," are going to hurt from [higher tariffs] far more than Target and Walmart." Pre-tariffs, Melsky budgeted for a dress made in Bangladesh to cost $13.32 with normal duties, she says. Now it will cost $17.76 — a 33% increase. After a manufacturer's suggested retail price for a dress made in Hong Kong jumped by about $5, Melsky tells Axios, Princess Awesome raised the price on their website and included a note that the increase was due to "President Trump's decision to raise tariffs on China." But they're cognizant that customers will pay only so much for kids' clothes. "It's very, very nerve-wracking and stressful and frustrating," says Melsky. What they're saying: The D.C. Chamber of Commerce is monitoring the impact of tariffs on local businesses and meeting with local owners, chamber president Chinyere Hubbard tells Axios in a statement.
