CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten on Sunday highlighted a dramatic shift among a key demographic that helped elect President Donald Trump in 2024. Young men, who had supported Trump more than any Republican nominee this century, have now turned against him decisively.
Approval Rating Plummets
Enten noted that Trump's net approval rating among young men now stands at 55 percentage points underwater, according to an average of current polls. 'That's a switcheroo,' Enten said. 'That's 56 points — 56 points in just a year and a half!'
Foreign Policy and Economic Reversals
The reversal is even starker on specific issues. In 2024, young men trusted Trump on foreign policy over then-Vice President Kamala Harris by 9 points. Now, his approval among that group is 54 points underwater — a 63-point swing. 'Jacques Cousteau never got that low, my friends,' Enten remarked.
On the economy, Trump went from a +7 approval to -59, a 66-point reversal that caused Enten to laugh. 'I'm laughing because the turn is so absurd,' he said.
Implications for Midterms
Enten warned that this discontent could spell trouble for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. 'Trump is not on the ballot this fall, but it all flows downhill to those members of Congress,' he said. 'If they think they're going to escape the wrath of young men, and the regret that they have for voting for Donald Trump, well, they got another thing coming, mister.'
Men under 30 voted for Democrats in Congress by +3 in 2024. Today, midterm polls show Democrats up by 28 percentage points among young men.
