69 percent<\/a> of Trump voters under 35 said they approved of his performance. That\u2019s a very high number, but it\u2019s a significant dip from the 92 percent who had said the same earlier in the year. <\/p>\nFor the latest installment of the America in Focus project, we talked to 11 of these voters \u2014 Trump voters in their late 20s and early 30s who told us beforehand that they either somewhat disapproved of his performance or had mixed feelings about it \u2014 to understand their specific concerns. <\/p>\n
Many participants don\u2019t see the economic improvement they hoped for, something that is particularly pertinent to, as one participant mentioned, the working-class Americans who voted for Mr. Trump. Some said changes were needed but the ones being made were too aggressive or focused on the wrong things, like tariffs. A couple were unhappy with the way the United States is handling the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, or the way immigration policy is being carried out. <\/p>\n
These voters still don\u2019t think much of Democrats, however \u2014 and they had interesting theories about why more voters in their 20s selected Republicans in 2024 than in the last few elections. <\/p>\n
Katherine Miller, Kristen Soltis Anderson and Adrian J. Rivera <\/p>\n
Ms. Miller is a staff editor in Opinion. Ms. Soltis Anderson is a pollster. Mr. Rivera is an editorial assistant in Opinion.<\/p>\n
Participants ![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/quinton.png\")
<\/p>\n
Quinton 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/john.png\")
<\/p>\n
John 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/sarah.png\")
<\/p>\n
Sarah 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/juan.png\")
<\/p>\n
Juan 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/jody.png\")
<\/p>\n
Jody 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/abbie.png\")
<\/p>\n
Abbie 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/kelsey.png\")
<\/p>\n
Kelsey 32, Ill., white, independent, technology <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/mustafa.png\")
<\/p>\n
Mustafa 28, Ga., white, Republican, automotive <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/briana.png\")
<\/p>\n
Briana 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/cut.png\")
<\/p>\n
Cut 33, Tenn., Black, Republican, driver <\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static01.nytimes.com\/newsgraphics\/2025-09-23-focusgroup-disapproving-trump-voters\/000fef0b-a924-4831-9896-9e1e24c9cc7b\/_assets\/cory.png\")
<\/p>\n
Cory 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction <\/p>\n
Transcript <\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
What is going well in America these days?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I feel like 401(k)s are doing well right now. On the not-so-well side of things, inflation is one thing that really irks me. Where I\u2019m living, what we used to be able to afford in our suburb is unrealistic at this point. And the tariffs are going to raise prices even more.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I tend to be more positive about finances and investments. There\u2019s inflation, but it hasn\u2019t really stopped our economy; from my perspective in the construction industry, we haven\u2019t slowed down.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
What\u2019s going badly in the United States these days?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
Just what\u2019s going on with current events. It\u2019s like everyone has a side and opinion. People can\u2019t be respectful as far as their viewpoints. It turns very volatile, a lot of times turns racial. I\u2019m tired of seeing it on social media. I\u2019m tired of hearing about it on the news. It\u2019s everywhere. The inflation, too, and I\u2019m tired of renting. I\u2019m trying to purchase a home here in the next \u2014 I keep saying, \u201cthe next couple of years.\u201d I\u2019ve been saying that for 10 years now. It\u2019s been hard. The job market\u2019s not the best. I\u2019m thankful to still have a job, yes, but a carton of eggs, it\u2019s ridiculous on top of everything else. So I feel like a lot of people, including myself, are in survival mode.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
I agree: the inflation and people butting heads with each other about everything right now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
Everything just seems mad expensive these days. Prices used to be way lower.<\/p>\n
On a scale of one to five, how are you feeling about
how things are going in America these days? On a scale of one to five, how are
you feeling about how things are going
in America these days? <\/p>\n
1 means Everything\u2019s a complete disaster. and 5 means Everything is incredible.<\/p>\n
2<\/p>\n
Quinton,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Ga., Black, Rep. John,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Fla., Black, Rep. Sarah,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mont. white, Rep. Abbie,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t29, Mo., white, ind. Kelsey,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Ill., white, ind. <\/p>\n
3<\/p>\n
Juan,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, N.J., Latino, ind. Jody,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mo., white, Rep. Mustafa,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Ga., white, Rep. Briana,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Mich., Black, ind. Cut,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Tenn., Black, Rep. Cory,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t31, Tenn., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Sarah, about your 2. Tell me why, on a scale of 1 to 5, you\u2019re not all the way at complete disaster, you\u2019re at a 2.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
Changes were needed to improve the way the country is running. But maybe some of them are too drastic in my opinion, and maybe not well advised. That ranges from health to tariffs to government arrangement, discrimination. I\u2019m concerned about what else is coming. I understand the need for adjustments, but maybe not to this level.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Cut, why are you at a 3?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Republican, driver<\/p>\n
Oh, it\u2019s just right in the middle. Things could be better, but you can\u2019t just say it\u2019s all bad. Our military is looking like it\u2019s a little bit better than it used to be. I\u2019d say that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think it\u2019s terrible, but there\u2019s always room for improvement.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Kelsey, I had you down as a 2. Tell me why.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Yeah, at first, I was, like, 1? But no, because it\u2019s not a total disaster, really. Optically, it can feel like a disaster at times, especially with the violence and the blaming. Since 2020, it\u2019s been super volatile.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Across these groups this year, we\u2019ve been asking a bit about different aspects of the economy and technology that have been changing the country and we\u2019d like to do that a bit now. The rise of sports betting: Do you feel like that\u2019s a positive, a negative or a neutral?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
No, I\u2019m big against it. We\u2019ve seen a rise in incidents with professional players getting cut up with the Jontay Porter situation in Toronto. And then almost like every other week, somebody is getting wrapped up. That\u2019s very troubling, as well as pushing that onto the youth, pushing gambling on the youth. It\u2019s on the T-shirts. It\u2019s on at halftime. It\u2019s in the middle of the game. It\u2019s on the ticket itself. You cannot escape it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I enjoy doing it and I do it quite a bit, but it is over the top. During a game, you can\u2019t go three minutes without them mentioning some sort of bet or some advertising from them, I think it can be overwhelming, especially because there\u2019s a large majority of people out there who have a problem. And when they\u2019re pushing it in your face, every other second, it\u2019s just a constant. I would equate it to an alcoholic, and just showing them beers every two seconds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
It might be positive for some people, but overall, it\u2019s negative. Now they\u2019re pushing something called \u201cprediction markets,\u201d which are, I guess, supposed to be the crypto version for betting. I just feel like most people are just going to end up losing their money. It\u2019s better that people just invest in traditional stocks, bonds or other forms of investments.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Do people feel like crypto\u2019s positive? Negative? Neutral?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I invest in crypto. I\u2019ve done well in it. So to me, it\u2019s more positive. But certain politicians or business people get into crypto and I feel like it\u2019s a negative because they\u2019re really exploiting it and pump-and-dumping on the small guy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
I have a lot of friends who have invested in crypto and they\u2019ve tried to get me to do it. I tried it for a little bit. I don\u2019t like losing money. I didn\u2019t know what the heck I was doing and lost $200. None of my friends who are trying to get me to do it are doing very, very well. I don\u2019t want to just say, well, it\u2019s bad or whatever. But it feels like you\u2019re going to lose a lot of money, more than winning money or earning money.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
I think crypto\u2019s pretty neutral. It\u2019s neither good nor bad, just like any other investment, whether it\u2019s real estate or anything else. It\u2019s an investment, so there is some risk with it. It\u2019s just something that you need to learn, and is a part of my diversified portfolio.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
I like the ability of everyone to be their own investor and have that opportunity to be their own investor and make money. I\u2019m concerned about people in higher positions of power, making comments or dumping when they want to, that can take someone\u2019s entire income overnight, or their savings. But fundamentally, it can be really good.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
And of course, A.I.: Is it good for society, bad, neutral, mixed?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I\u2019m torn on that one. I see a lot of really good and positive things that can come from A.I. My husband is using it to really get into his creative side. He\u2019s used it to write songs and to even write a book and things like that. But on the flip side, people who have that natural talent, it cheapens a little bit when somebody else can just go and do it. For the average user, it probably really is allowing them to do something new that they maybe wouldn\u2019t have been able to do before.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
I love using A.I. I use it almost every day. But I think that the setbacks definitely outweigh the positives. The way that it\u2019s so quickly evolving is risky and dangerous. It\u2019s going to not only have impacts on the youth, but definitely on all brains, and also the environment. There needs to be a balance or some set of restrictions in place.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
A.I. is something that can be really good. Just like anything new that\u2019s introduced, technology-wise, whether it\u2019s the internet or when the industrial boom took place, there were people who had those same types of concerns and there were the same gains in efficiency. We just learned to adapt and set different regulations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
I\u2019m neutral because I like it and I use it. But I can also see the downsides. You become reliable on a tool, your brain becomes almost use it or lose it. We could cripple ourselves moving forward, I think.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s turn to politics. When you think about Donald Trump, what\u2019s the first word that comes to mind?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Republican, automotive<\/p>\n
The way that he\u2019s been handling things recently, dictatorship.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
Reckless.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
Overpowering.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Aggressive.<\/p>\n
Everybody here voted for Trump. When you
think about that decision, were you thinking about it as a vote for Trump or a vote against Harris? Everybody here voted for Trump.
When you think about that decision,
were you thinking about it as a
vote for Trump or a vote against Harris? A vote for Trump. John,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Fla., Black, Rep. Juan,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, N.J., Latino, ind. Jody,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mo., white, Rep. Briana,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Mich., Black, ind. A vote against Harris. Quinton,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Ga., Black, Rep. Sarah,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mont. white, Rep. Abbie,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t29, Mo., white, ind. Mustafa,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Ga., white, Rep. Cut,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Tenn., Black, Rep. Cory,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t31, Tenn., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I mostly did it because of investment reasons, business reasons. But yeah, I don\u2019t know. I feel like I regretted my vote. I feel like even though my specific investment in cryptocurrency is doing good overall, he has ruined the cryptocurrency market for a lot of cryptocurrencies. A lot of these rich people are just pumping-and-dumping stuff, coming out with tokens. And this is not really what I voted for. I just wanted him to do good with business, the economy. With tariffs, I didn\u2019t know the tariffs were going to be this extreme. That\u2019s not helping anything out at all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I really liked a lot of what I saw in his first term, especially economy-wise. It made me feel a lot more secure. I felt like I had a lot more buying power, and could really improve my station. During President Biden\u2019s term, I felt like a lot of things went downhill. A lot of Trump\u2019s campaign promises the second time around, I honestly was like, oh, he\u2019s not going to be able to do that. It just seems like he really came out of the gate really aggressively, doing a lot more than I really was anticipating and expecting. The tariffs feel really risky and are giving me a lot of anxiety this time around.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Crypto\u2019s come up. Are there other specific policies or decisions that you\u2019re not totally happy with?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
We shouldn\u2019t be dumping millions and millions of dollars of resources into helping Ukraine and Israel fight wars that do not affect us directly. I feel like that money could be repurposed into education, homelessness, educating for crypto, colleges, high schools, universities, like that. Those resources can be placed in other ways. We should really stop being the world police. And I feel like with Trump, being the way that he is, stepping out of the Paris Agreement, doing this, doing that, being kind of like, \u201cI\u2019m going to worry about my people and what\u2019s going on in my country,\u201d but now, you\u2019re over here, fighting some wars that have nothing to do with us, but are miles and miles and miles away.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I believed Trump was focused on lowering drug prices, prescription drug prices. I have a chronic condition. I\u2019m a Type 1 diabetic. And since he has taken office, my medications have tripled in price. Again, I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s a correlation to where I live or my insurance but it\u2019s gotten to a point where, for a disease I did not cause and do not have any control over, seeing a very high increase in the prices that I\u2019m paying.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Immigration. I just think it\u2019s way too aggressive. Even if it\u2019s the worst of the criminals, can they be treated more humanely once they get to the deportation centers?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
I feel like on Kelsey\u2019s point, I agree. Criminals \u2014 drug dealers, violent people \u2014 don\u2019t belong here. The thing I\u2019m worried about is this administration\u2019s use of executive power. I have a hard time trusting in my current democracy and my Constitution when I\u2019m not really sure I\u2019m seeing those honored even in these processes of deportation. Sometimes I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m getting the real truth, and if somebody was documented and causing certain issues, or were they not? Is it just anything goes?<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
You all told us that you voted for Donald Trump. But you have some level of either regret or misgivings.<\/p>\n
Do you think Donald Trump\u2019s second term is going how you\u2019d expected, or is it going better or worse? Do you think Donald Trump\u2019s second
term is going how you\u2019d expected, or is
it going better or worse? It\u2019s going how I\u2019d expected. Juan,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, N.J., Latino, ind. Jody,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mo., white, Rep. Kelsey,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Ill., white, ind. Briana,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Mich., Black, ind. Cut,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Tenn., Black, Rep. It\u2019s going worse than I expected. Quinton,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33, Ga., Black, Rep. John,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Fla., Black, Rep. Sarah,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t32, Mont. white, Rep. Abbie,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t29, Mo., white, ind. Mustafa,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28, Ga., white, Rep. Cory,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t31, Tenn., white, Rep. It\u2019s going better than I expected. No one raised a hand. <\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Republican, automotive<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not what I expected. We\u2019re focused on Ukraine and Israel more than I feel like the United States. The military, I like it, has gotten much better than it used to. But I thought he was going to come in and end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
He said he was trying to come to St. Louis with the National Guard to help with crime. I think he needs to focus on other things, and not bring the National Guard into other cities.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
For me, it comes down to taxes and jobs. The job market is just not good at all. I have a lot of friends and family members who are struggling to find work. He made it seem like he was going to look out for the working-class people and it\u2019s the exact opposite.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Republican, driver<\/p>\n
This is about what I was expecting, especially when it comes to immigration.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a businessman at his core. So I knew he was going to bring those aggressive negotiation skills and those power plays into the presidential thing. So I\u2019m not surprised.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Is Donald Trump focused on the right topics? Is Donald Trump focused on the right topics? OK, only one of you is saying yes. Jody, why?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
He\u2019s focusing on our trade agreements, immigration, and I don\u2019t think we should get superinvolved in the world but, for better or for worse, America has been. I think he\u2019s focusing on the right areas. How he goes about it, we can discuss more about that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
There are a couple of silly things that I\u2019m just like, why is this a thing? Examples are the Gulf of America. Why are we doing that? Renaming the Department of War, I don\u2019t know why that\u2019s even an effort that we\u2019re making. It\u2019s good that he\u2019s focusing on trade, for example, but he\u2019s not handling it the right way.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
He is focused on immigration and trying to make America safer. But he\u2019s also focused on himself. It\u2019s silly. And for me, it was a hard election. Which one, hopefully, will be better overall? I wish that he could deflate inflation, for sure. I don\u2019t know, personally, how to do that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
I want him to focus more on gun violence. We keep hearing about these shootings. These current events just happened and also these school shootings. I have a lot of nieces and nephews. And we have to pray to make sure that our kids are going to school safe and having a safe school year. It\u2019s crazy to me.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
What are things you wish Donald Trump were doing but that he\u2019s not doing now?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I feel everything is connected to the economy. I feel like the main focus should just be the economy. If you can fix the economy, it really reduces crime. I feel like he and other politicians should be way more aggressive against the mass shooters. We don\u2019t talk enough about how we can stop these people before they go do these mass shootings.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s a businessman. And I knew that. And I thought that was a positive. But with that being said, he\u2019s a businessman, and is he making decisions now that\u2019s going to benefit him after this presidency? What\u2019s truly in it for us, compared to himself, after this presidency is over?<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
A few issues have come up. Tariffs: Raise your hand if you think he\u2019s doing a good job with tariffs. OK, I\u2019m not seeing any hands go up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I\u2019m in the construction industry. I can see that our prices, our shipping, has gone up, which definitely means that as a company, we have to increase our prices in order to get certain jobs. And I\u2019ve heard stories of people who have ordered something online, but it costs four times as much just because of the import.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Another issue that hasn\u2019t come up as much, but is something that Donald Trump made a big piece of his campaign message, was his promise to make America healthy again. How do you feel about what Donald Trump is doing when it comes to making America healthy again?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
I like the idea of getting rid of some of the dyes and all this other stuff. A lot of the things that I have been working on with my own family were things that he talked about doing during his campaign, especially bringing Kennedy in.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s really Trump\u2019s or R.F.K.\u2019s work, but I love it. I think that our F.D.A., there\u2019s just so many things that are approved that shouldn\u2019t be approved, and so many things that need to be approved that aren\u2019t. Lines get blurred because it\u2019s health care, F.D.A., whatever. But oh my God, if we could reduce obesity and just create a healthier country, it would be wonderful.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
I have some reservations about immunizations or vaccinations. I think to an extent, there should be some more research on certain things. But measles, mumps and rubella is pretty well identified and researched. And kids can die from that, and have. I\u2019m concerned there could be a mass pandemic. Can you imagine how parents would feel when their kid dies from a preventable disease or gets paralyzed?<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
I want to ask about one more issue that a few people have mentioned, which is the situation in Israel and Gaza. How do you feel about the way Donald Trump is handling that really difficult issue?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
In my opinion, when it comes to America \u2014 and I guess Israel is one of the big partners in the Middle East and considered one of the few democracies over there \u2014 I feel like they give them a lot of leeway, but at the same time, I understand their situation. It would be good if that conflict can resolve.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
It’s one of the longest-going conflicts. I wish there was an easy fix. Honestly, it would be wonderful if the president could, but I just have no expectations with that.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll switch gears a little bit. What\u2019s the first word that comes to mind when you hear \u201cthe Democratic Party?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
Against.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
Unorganized or unprepared.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
Angry.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Republican, driver<\/p>\n
Lack of leadership.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
Irresponsible.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Jody, when you say \u201cangry,\u201d they\u2019re angry? You\u2019re angry?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I feel like my interactions with people who are Democrat or would think that same way, they seem much more on the defensive about a lot of these issues.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
They make a lot of strong statements, but don\u2019t necessarily back up what they\u2019re saying. I\u2019m thinking more fiscally. Give all this money, forgive all the student loan debt, do all these things. That obviously has a big impact on the economy, and an impact they seem to ignore.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Abbie, you said \u201cagainst.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
I just feel like they don\u2019t agree with things on the Republican side.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Ten, 20 years ago, in general, younger voters leaned heavily Democratic. In the last couple of years, there\u2019s been some shifting. What do you think might be driving that shift?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
Before, being on the left was more edgy. Being on the right now, it\u2019s more edgy. Most people grew up with Obama. Maybe they feel like he just didn\u2019t live up to his promise. And people want to try something on the other side.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Republican, driver<\/p>\n
I know when I was younger, it was just Fox News that was conservative. But now with social media and YouTube just being out there, it\u2019s so much easier to access and just see everything, see different points of view.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
With the rise in social media for us, in this age group now, we have access to more information. So we\u2019re able to make more informed decisions. It also really highlighted how weak the Democratic leadership was for us.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
If the Democratic Party were to start over and take your advice about what to focus on, what would you tell them?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Gun violence. I\u2019m huge on that, and then the economy. One thing that drives me crazy about them is they say they\u2019re the middle-class party. Can\u2019t we just be for everybody? They\u2019re the party for everybody. Do they need to be for the middle class? I\u2019m middle class, but I also want to support every class, from poor people to the rich \u2014 I just want equality.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
I feel like they have a lack of identity and a lack of leadership. I feel like the Republican Party does have a better icon, in Donald Trump, with the ideology and the idealism behind him. You know what he stands for. With the Democratic Party\u2019s, they don\u2019t have that leader. I feel like the last person to really have that role was like Obama. Currently, right now, aside from A.O.C. and Bernie, I really don\u2019t see anybody even who has a major exposure or brand behind the Democratic Party. Their vision of the future seems very negative to a lot of people. And I like them, I personally like them. I\u2019m independent. I actually think they have a lot of great points. But they\u2019re negatively viewed. The party has a lack of leadership.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Republican, automotive<\/p>\n
I agree with Juan pretty much. It\u2019s just the lack of leadership, the lack of identity. I feel like they were supposed to be focused on the people and like they were mentioning, the middle class or the lower class. I feel like, especially the last two years before the term went up and Trump came in, it was just the focus on what was going on in Ukraine. It\u2019s not for the people.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
Are there any Democrats that people like?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
Cory Booker\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I actually think that that\u2019s part of the problem, is that any of them who are more moderately minded and would appeal to more people are not broadcast enough because they\u2019re not out there so much. Their ideas are quieter, I guess, so they\u2019re overshadowed by the ones that are just really far out there. So that\u2019s part of the issue, too.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk a bit about Republicans.<\/p>\n
Do you think you are likely to vote
for Republican candidates in the future? Do you think you are likely to vote
for Republican candidates in the future? 11 people raised their hands.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont. white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a Republican. But at this point, I think I\u2019m tired of both parties. I think I\u2019m about to become an independent.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
For those of you who think you are likely to vote for Republican candidates in the future, tell me a little bit about why.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
So I\u2019m a conservative Republican, a constitutionalist. Republicans tend to focus a little bit more on things that matter to me, like the economy. That impacts me. Inflation is really high right now, but hopefully they can adjust that. To an extent, immigration, though maybe not the way I\u2019m seeing it right now. This term is not showing a focus on education, but I\u2019ve seen it in the past.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
I do think they need to be focused more on this: Who\u2019s going to be the next face of the Republican Party? Who\u2019s going to be the possessor of this whole MAGA movement that he has created, for better or worse, the past decade or so, or even going on to 20 years, almost. So is it going to be JD Vance? Two years come quickly. He\u2019s not going to be around much longer. So who\u2019s going to be the new face? Who\u2019s going to be the guy who brings the new ideas, who brings the people together?<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Besides Donald Trump, are there any Republican leaders or figures that you like?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Nikki Haley.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
I\u2019m personally a big fan of Marco Rubio and, mostly, Ron DeSantis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
I was just going to say DeSantis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
I really like Nikki Haley. I wish she hadn\u2019t given in.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I would say Vance. Vance is probably an obvious one, but also Josh Hawley. He backed Missouri\u2019s issues and he wouldn\u2019t back down from things.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Briana, tell me a little bit about why you like Ron DeSantis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
He has that bold personality where he has potential to step in and make those changes that a lot of people are afraid to make. It doesn\u2019t seem like he cares so much about people liking him. I\u2019m all about that.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Juan, you mentioned Rubio. Tell me what you like about Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
Little by little, he\u2019s been building an experience in politics. He ran for president. He stepped up to Trump. He said a lot of things to him that were true. But he\u2019s also grown enough to put their differences aside and work with the new administration. He\u2019s been one of the more prominent figures in the new administration.<\/p>\n
Do you think JD Vance would be a good
next leader of the party? Do you think JD Vance would be
a good next leader of the party? 1 person raised a hand.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont. white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jody, 32, Mo., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, ind. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cut, 33, Tenn., Black, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Rep. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Abbie, 29, Mo., white, Republican, nanny<\/p>\n
I think they need somebody else in there. I don\u2019t know. I just think he\u2019s so attached to Trump that he doesn\u2019t speak his mind sometimes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
Same. I don\u2019t feel like he has his own persona. He\u2019s just riding Trump\u2019s coattails right now and taking on his energy and his persona. I don\u2019t know what that will look like without Trump standing behind him, what type of leader he would be, personally, because he hasn\u2019t shown us that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
Yeah, I think he\u2019s just a mini clone of Trump. I don\u2019t really think he has any original ideas or ideologies that he stands for on his own.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
A few people have alluded to Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination in the conversation, mentioning current events. How did you experience the news of his death?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Briana, 33, Mich., Black, independent, marketing<\/p>\n
Actually, my teenage daughter came home talking about it. And then I saw it on my Apple News after she mentioned it, because Apple News stalks our conversations, clearly.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I first saw about it on YouTube, maybe MSNBC. They have posts about it. After that, I started seeing it on social media.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Katherine Miller<\/p>\n
A couple of people have mentioned gun control. Are there things that people are worried about after this happened, or think will happen?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John, 28, Fla., Black, Republican, delivery driver<\/p>\n
I think it\u2019s going to encourage more crazy people, more yahoos, to go and do crazy stuff like that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
I would love to see change to stop shootings, whether that\u2019s with A.I. or gun control.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Juan, 32, N.J., Latino, independent, customer service<\/p>\n
I was not the biggest fan; I didn\u2019t necessarily agree with him. We shared conservative views and agreed on certain topics while disagreeing on other things \u2014 but that was the beauty of it. Even though you may not agree with someone 100 percent or share the same views, they were open to dialogue for conversation. They opened that door. They left that door open for someone with opposite views. What happened to him shouldn\u2019t happen. Nobody should have to die like that. It was terrible.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Quinton, 33, Ga., Black, Republican, account manager<\/p>\n
Yeah, and for me, you go on social media. That\u2019s where I was going. Just the comment section, you have people that are happy and rooting for his demise and all of that. And now the conversation is being geared towards celebrating someone no longer being here, as opposed to the real issue at hand.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
What happened to him is very sad, especially for how old he was. His loss should be definitely mourned in a very respectful manner. I also don\u2019t completely understand about flying him on Air Force Two \u2014 that seems like something usually done for military or presidents only.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
I did follow a lot of what he did, not necessarily agree with all of it. But I like that he had a platform, and he was open and honest in speaking with the people that he did. You and I could have completely different thoughts, and he would have a conversation with you. It would not get heated. He wouldn\u2019t yell. It was just a conversation. And I like the way that he presented himself. One thing that troubles me is there\u2019s a deeper layer to what\u2019s happening with shootings like this. I don\u2019t know how you address it.<\/p>\n
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson<\/p>\n
Are there things that you think politicians, the media, other big institutions don\u2019t get about what it\u2019s like to be a young adult in America today?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sarah, 32, Mont., white, Republican, engineer<\/p>\n
So I don\u2019t think they understand that I may never be able to get my own house. I make good money, but we\u2019re talking about finances here that are through the roof. And then we\u2019re stacking on debt right now. I really don\u2019t even know what financial stability looks like in five to 10 years from now. I feel like the American dream is being redeveloped. I\u2019m not really sure what that looks like.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kelsey, 32, Ill., white, independent, technology<\/p>\n
Completely second that. I just think that they have no idea what it\u2019s actually like. They were in their late 20s and 30s at some point. They were maybe always in Washington, and with all of this power and privilege. But even if they were, I\u2019ll say \u2014 I hate to use the word \u201cnormal,\u201d but you know what I mean, everyday people \u2014 it\u2019s a vastly different world than it was 20 years ago, even 10 years ago. I just have no idea what the future holds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cory, 31, Tenn., white, Republican, construction<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t afford to do anything. I\u2019ve got a small family myself. There\u2019s four of us living on one income. And we are very fortunate in our situation. But I don\u2019t know how many people are making it between costs, housing and then the health care costs. I\u2019ve mentioned that a couple of times here, but that is a big pain point.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mustafa, 28, Ga., white, Republican, automotive<\/p>\n
The struggle is real now in general, with the groceries, cost of living, just how crazy health care expenses are. It\u2019s way too much.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you think about Donald Trump, what\u2019sthe first word that comes to mind? When you think aboutDonald Trump,…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":255813,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5122],"tags":[5229,5959,405,403,5226,5225,5228,5227,5704,60463,1054,277,67,134777,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-255812","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-donald-j","10":"tag-new-york","11":"tag-new-york-city","12":"tag-newyork","13":"tag-newyorkcity","14":"tag-ny","15":"tag-nyc","16":"tag-polls-and-public-opinion","17":"tag-presidential-election-of-2024","18":"tag-republican-party","19":"tag-trump","20":"tag-united-states","21":"tag-united-states-economy","22":"tag-united-states-of-america","23":"tag-unitedstates","24":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","25":"tag-us","26":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115269956957900668","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255812"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255812\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}