Young Americans sour on President Donald Trump, slam ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

WASHINGTON: Young American voters have sharply turned against President Donald Trump and express deep scepticism toward his flagship One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), according to a new Yale Youth Poll released Monday. The survey shows a dramatic collapse in Trump's standing among younger age groups: although Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly or solidly carried voters aged 18-22, 23-29, and 30-34 in 2024, those same cohorts now disapprove of Trump's job performance by 30, 34, and 36 points. This is a major reversal from the poll's spring 2025 findings, when the youngest voters narrowly approved of Trump and those 22-29 were only slightly negative.

Democrats hold strong leads on the congressional generic ballot among younger voters-15 to 20 points depending on age-while Republicans lead among those aged 45-64, and seniors are evenly split. Dissatisfaction with the country's direction is nearly universal: only 4% of respondents believe no changes are needed, while 46% want a return to stability and another 46% favour a major, system-shaking shift. Young voters are especially inclined toward the latter. Yet the electorate is divided on which party represents change, with Democrats and Republicans each chosen by 29%, and the rest selecting both or neither.

The youngest Americans are also more ideologically polarized. Nearly half of respondents aged 18-22 and 23-29 identify as liberal, but sizeable shares-40% and 38%-call themselves conservative, leaving relatively few moderates. (IANS)

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