New Supporters Drive Trump’s Approval Rating Gains

In 2024, several new groups of voters joined the Trump movement, including people who had not voted for him in 2020 or 2016 and were not previously Republican voters, such as more young, lower-income, and Hispanic Americans. Whether they can be maintained with post-Trump GOP candidates remains to be seen, but according to polls so far, they are more approving of the second Trump administration than they were the first.

In the latest Gallup polls, Trump’s approval overall was up three points in the January–March period of his second term compared to his first, from 42% to 45%.

The biggest gains weren’t in traditional conservative voters, though. Among adults age 65 and older, approval dropped by six points from this time during 2017 to now. Among non-Hispanic white adults, approval dropped by two points.

The gains in approval instead came with the new sections of Trump voters. Among younger people ages 18–29 and 30–49, approval grew by six points, from 31% to 37%. Approval among people of color increased by 12%, and approval among Hispanic adults increased by 15%. His approval also increased with Republicans, from 87% to 92%, further proving his consolidation of support among the Republican Party, of which more were skeptical during his first term.

In another poll from The Economist, where net approval was positive at 48% to 46% among the 1,600 U.S. adults polled, similar results were found. Net approval was positive among Hispanics (48% to 47%), adults aged 18–29 (49% to 41%), and the lowest income bracket of those earning less than $50,000 (48% to 44%), while it was negative among moderate-income earners of $50,000 to $100,000 (47% to 49%), and those earning more than $100,000 (45% to 52%).

He maintains these voters on his most popular issue, immigration, where 51% approve and 44% disapprove, according to The Economist poll. Even Hispanics approved of Trump’s handling of immigration, as well as all age brackets measured in the poll.

Where he could lose people over the next few years is on inflation and jobs. His approval on “jobs and the economy” is currently 43%, while 47% disapprove, and inflation is even worse, with 42% approval and 50% disapproval.

Currently, inflation is on a downward trend, falling from 3% in January to 2.8% in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, concerns about inflation remain due to the possibility of increased tariffs, especially the “reciprocal tariffs” that Trump vows to put into effect on April 2.

The extent of the tariffs remains unclear, however, as he initially said the reciprocal tariffs would also be applied to compensate for other trade barriers or regulatory requirements set by other countries. Trump has also recently walked back some of the tariffs because of their possible effects on inflation and the economy, saying in a Newsmax interview, “I’ll probably be more lenient than reciprocal, because if I was reciprocal, that would be very tough for people.”