A new poll shows that former President Donald Trump is seeing a small rise in support from Generation Z voters, though most still do not approve of him. The YouGov/Economist survey taken in early August found that 33 percent of Gen Z voters said they approve of Trump, while 61 percent disapprove. This leaves his overall standing with young voters at -28 points, which is an improvement from July when it was -38 points. Still, his approval is much lower than it was back in January, when it was slightly positive at +5.
Experts say the shift might come from how young people approach politics. While many lean toward progressive views on social issues, they don’t always stick firmly with one party. Instead, they often vote based on current problems that affect their lives. A recent survey showed that most young people feel neither Republicans nor Democrats truly represent them, and many identify as independents. Some analysts believe Trump’s small rise in approval could simply be due to frustration with Democrats, whose popularity has dropped sharply in national polls.
The 2024 election already showed signs of this trend. Trump managed to narrow Democrats’ advantage with young voters, with Kamala Harris winning the 18-to-29 age group by only four points. In 2020, Joe Biden had carried that same group by a much wider margin of 25 points.
Trump’s numbers among young voters have recently improved in key areas like the economy, inflation, and immigration. For example, his approval on the economy rose from 30 percent in July to 36 percent in August, while disapproval dropped by 10 points. Views on inflation also shifted slightly in his favor. At the same time, more young people said the economy was getting better compared to the month before, though a majority still believe it is getting worse. Even with these gains, Trump’s approval on the economy is much weaker than it was at the start of the year.
Other issues complicate his standing. Job growth has slowed, and Trump recently fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after accusing her of manipulating job numbers, though most young voters said they did not support his decision. His honesty rating also remains low, with fewer than one in four Gen Z voters saying they think he is honest. The ongoing controversy around the Jeffrey Epstein case has deepened distrust—only a small minority of young voters approve of how Trump has handled it, and many believe he knew more about Epstein’s crimes than he admits.
The political fallout continues, with Congress pushing for the Department of Justice to release more information about Epstein. Meanwhile, Trump’s new nominee to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics has suggested changing how jobs data is reported, which could spark further debate.
Overall, Trump’s image among young voters remains negative, but recent polling suggests some are warming to him—mainly on economic issues and due to dissatisfaction with Democrats. Whether this shift continues will likely depend on how he handles both the economy and the growing controversies surrounding his presidency.
