Gen Z Revolt! Trump’s Support Among Young Americans Dramatically Drops After His Tariffs Tanked the Economy and Cost of Living Continues to Rise

Oct. 5, 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET

U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has plummeted among young Americans, according to newly released survey data that raises questions about the durability of his support from a crucial voting bloc, RadarOnline.com can report.

Journalist G. Elliott Morris, who reported in his Substack blog Strength In Numbers, analyzed 7,000 interviews conducted over five months and compared them to respondents’ reported 2024 election choices. He found that Trump’s net approval among voters aged 18 to 29 has fallen by 35 percentage points since November 2024, declining from -3 to -38 in less than a year.

This drop represents a sharp reversal from Trump’s gains with younger Americans in the 2024 election, when a notable conservative shift helped power his return to the White House. While voters aged 18 to 29 supported Joe Biden over Trump by 61 percent to 36 percent in 2020, the Democratic share fell significantly four years later. In the November 2024 contest, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won 51 percent of young voters compared with Trump’s 47 percent.

White House Reacts

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended Trump’s record, citing achievements in border security and economic policy. “President Donald Trump is keeping his promises and Making America Great Again: whether it’s securing the border, securing historic investments in American manufacturing, taming Biden’s inflation crisis, or fighting against the Democrats’ radical demands of free health care for illegal aliens,” Jackson said.

Referring to a Rasmussen Reports survey from September 25, she added, “That’s why over 57 percent of Americans approve of the President and the incredible job he’s doing!”

Hispanic Voters

Morris noted that much of the decline in Trump’s approval stems from young Hispanic voters, who have grown disillusioned with the administration’s tariff and immigration policies.

Still, not all polls agree with Morris’s assessment. AtlasIntel reported that Trump’s approval among adults aged 18 to 29 improved by 35 points in just two months, while a YouGov/The Economist poll in July showed his net approval among Gen Z improving from -38 to -28.

Growing Frustration

Young political activists argue that the erosion of Trump’s support reflects growing frustration over living costs and his focus on cultural battles. “Since Donald Trump took office, the cost of living has gone up everywhere — housing, groceries, fuel, utilities. If Republicans keep the government shutdown, health care prices will be next,” Gen-Z activist Olivia Julianna told outlets.

“Many young people supported Trump because they thought he had real answers,” Julianna explained. “Instead, they’ve seen a president more focused on culture war stunts — renaming the Department of Defense, fighting over the name of the Gulf of Mexico, and attacking celebrities from official accounts. All the while, he’s been focused on enriching himself and his donors, not helping the people who believed in him.”

https://radaronline.com/p/gen-z-revolt-donald-trump-support-young-americans-tanks-tariffs-economy/