You are ignoring how trump focused far more on hurting people they don't like(immigrants , trans people and minorities) than on any actual economic policy. He and the Republicans fomented a hate wave and he rode it right back into the White House. So damn shameful for this country
You're not wrong, but there's more to it than just hate. The tactic is to associate the real problems, economic insecurity, social isolation, etc with groups that are vulnerable to persecution and that people are primed to hate already. Deporting migrants is the proposed solution to economic woes and and a perception of high crime and low trust/alienation. Likewise the queerbashing and trans hate gets associated with the perceived problem of social discohesion and a general lack of control. These associations have been built up over a long time, and those wrapped up in the right wing media sphere view cruelty as both cathartic and effective means to fix what ails society.