Ideas

The Dis­ap­point­ment of Young Trump Voters

Americans under 30 swung to the right in 2024, but they’re not getting what they voted for.

First published in The Atlantic on February 16, 2026.

by Sarah Longwell, The Atlantic
February 19, 2026 | reading time: 7 Min.

The past two months have been some of the worst for Donald Trump’s approval rating—ever. Polling aggregators have his net approval in the low 40s, with 34 percent approval on the economy and 30 percent on cost of living. In individual polls, his overall approval dips down into the mid 30s. The last time Trump’s numbers looked this bad was right after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. George W. Bush exited the White House with similar ratings.

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