In a college library lined with volumes on America’s greatest presidents, six young men who voted for Donald Trump gathered to size up his second term. Their verdicts ranged from guarded approval to disappointment, reflecting growing tension in a demographic that helped propel Trump to victory in 2024.

While the students form a very small sample ​size, their mixed reviews - including criticism of what several called overly harsh immigration enforcement and frustration over rising prices - mirror a broader shift in national polling that shows the Republican president is losing ground with young men.

Public opinion polling suggests that this ‌softening of support, part of a broader unhappiness among Americans over Trump’s policies, threatens Republicans’ hopes of retaining their slim majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Analysts who track the youth vote told Reuters many young men report feeling little tangible improvement in their economic prospects since Trump returned to office in January 2025.