Experts Say It Was Worth It: Dopamine Levels Rise Despite $10 Trillion Economic Downturn

By Dr. Meredith Quark, Ph.D. (Neuroeconomic Feedback Loops)
Department of Post-Fiscal Behavioral Studies, The Baitman’s Institute
Published in The Baitman’s Journal of Economic Vibes and Reactionary Trade Policy, April 2025

Abstract

Following a rapid pivot in U.S. trade policy, former President Donald J. Trump has once again entered the economic discourse by proudly declaring the reduction of America’s long-standing trade deficit. This achievement was accomplished not through market growth, improved exports, or negotiation—but instead by detonating over $10 trillion in U.S. equity value across major indices.

This study examines the paradoxical outcome of destroying 10x the value of the problem to declare victory. Additionally, we explore a groundbreaking neuro-emotional analysis of 61 Trump supporters, measuring dopamine spikes during a real-time broadcast of Fox & Friends. Findings indicate a measurable rise in satisfaction even when confronted with data indicating a net economic decline. We conclude that for certain voter subsets, emotional resonance trumps measurable reality, and possibly literacy.

Introduction

The U.S. trade deficit, a routine byproduct of global supply chains and consumption patterns, became a major point of rhetorical fixation during the Trump administration. Often framed as a financial wound inflicted by foreign nations, the trade deficit was targeted aggressively through tariffs, tweet-based diplomacy, and blunt-force press conferences.

In 2025, Trump celebrated what he called a “total economic victory” after announcing a dramatic reduction in the trade deficit. What he failed to mention, or perhaps failed to understand, was that this was achieved only after annihilating over $10 trillion in market value.

As Trump declared in a recent rally:

“When I get involved, we either win big… or we lose small enough that we can lie about it.”
(real Trump quote, btw)

This paper seeks to examine not just the fiscal reality of this maneuver, but the powerful emotional reward structure that allowed supporters to interpret it as a masterstroke.

Methodology

We used a triangulated mixed-methods approach incorporating the following:

• Market Data Simulation using the Baitman Institute’s proprietary “EconSmash™” forecasting tool

• Policy Impact Modeling based on inverse elasticity of patriotic confidence (IEPC)

• Real-time neural telemetry captured from 61 self-identified Trump supporters during a curated segment of Fox & Friends aired on April 8th, 2025

Participants were seated in a simulated living room equipped with biometric EEG headbands, HRV monitors, and snack bowls. Fox News was streamed at moderate volume. Participants were unaware they were part of a study until the debrief, and one man refused to leave after declaring it “the best episode of my life.”

Results

Economic Outcomes

• Trade Deficit Change:
  From $1.04 trillion ➝ $846 billion (a 19% drop)

• U.S. Market Capitalization:
  From $62.2 trillion ➝ $51.9 trillion (a 16.5% drop)

• Global Investor Confidence Index:
  Fell 38%, especially in allies who felt “blindsided and confused,” particularly Canada, which reportedly muttered “again?” under its breath.

Neuro-Emotional Response Analysis

Participants’ dopamine levels surged significantly during the televised moment Trump declared:

“I fixed the whole thing, folks. We don’t have deficits anymore. We have surpluses of winning.”

Table 1: Average Dopamine Levels (ng/dL)

Discussion

While the measurable economic outcomes of Trump’s actions are arguably catastrophic, they were perceived as triumphant by a large portion of his base. This illustrates the Vibes Over Value Principle (VOVP)—a phenomenon in which emotional satisfaction outweighs fiscal reality.

We also observed the Confidence Retention Echo Effect (CREE): when questioned about the lost $10 trillion, 88% of participants responded with statements such as:

• “That’s just numbers. The deficit is gone.”

• “The market needed a reset anyway.”

• “Biden would’ve lost more.”

These responses show a durable resistance to data, potentially indicating a patriotic insulation threshold (PIT).

Furthermore, when presented with a chart showing the exact figures of loss and gain, one man stared at it for 17 seconds and said,

“I don’t trust charts. I trust winners.”

Conclusion

In reducing the trade deficit by $194 billion, the Trump administration vaporized over $10 trillion in U.S. wealth. Most economists would call this a massive net loss. However, in the hearts of millions of Americans, it was a bold and beautiful moment of assertive leadership.

Whether this is due to genuine belief, cognitive dissonance, or sheer emotional inertia remains unclear. What is clear is this: for a sizable portion of the country, if it feels like a win—it is one.

As Dr. Quark concludes:
“Numbers can lie. Especially when people don’t look at them.”

References

1. Trump Rally Transcripts (abridged, bolded, typo-preserved)

2. Baitman Dopamine NeuroCharts™ Series 7

3. Notes from Steve (our intern) who was pretending to be a Trump voter for two weeks

4. A magnet that says “Trade Is Treason” found at a gas station outside Amarillo

5. A Facebook post with 3,400 shares that began with “I’m not an economist but…”