A recent New York Times focus group of 13 voters in their 20s revealed a range of perspectives on President Donald Trump’s performance, with many giving him passing grades and a majority expressing optimism about the country’s future.
When asked about “the way things are going in the country these days,” covering topics like artificial intelligence, social media, the economy, and the political climate, eight of the voters said Trump is doing fine, while seven predicted the nation would be in a better place in four years.
Evan, a 23-year-old Latino and Republican voter, praised Trump’s approach, saying, “I like how stern he is, how focused he is on at least trying to get something done. But I mean, I feel as though Trump actually cares about creating change. Pep in his step, at least. Biden was, like, a Sleepy Joe.”
Mixed Outlook on America’s Future
When the Times posed the question, “Do you think things will be better, worse or the same four years from now?” responses varied.
Seven voters believed conditions would improve, three predicted a decline, and three expected no change.
Jonnie, a 27-year-old Democratic voter, expressed cautious optimism, stating, “I just think this administration will stabilize. I think it’s scaring a lot of people. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, too. But I think inflation will probably be better by then. I can’t imagine this direction forever. I think things will just stabilize.”
Evan echoed this hope, adding, “I would just hope they’ll learn from their past mistakes. After four years, if you don’t get better or something, then what are you doing? So I would just hope.”
However, Bayleigh, a Democratic voter from Texas, foresaw ongoing turmoil, saying, “It’ll be the end of Trump’s administration, but I think the instability will remain consistent through the next four years.”
Grading Trump’s Performance
The focus group also assigned letter grades to Trump’s presidency.
None awarded an A, but five voters—three Republicans and two independents—gave him a B, while three—two independents and one Democrat—gave him a C.
One Republican and one Democrat gave him a D, and Molly, a Democratic voter, issued the sole F. Darrion, a Republican from Indiana who gave Trump a C, explained:
“I think it’s a little bit positive and negative. I’m positive in the sense that I like the way he’s portraying the image of America on an international scale, like the trade wars, tariffs and all that. And negatively because of his impact in cryptocurrency and the stock market.”
Jonnie, who also gave a C, noted, “Nothing horrible has happened, really. I guess that makes it OK. But at the same time, tariffs and stuff — I don’t like that.”
Despite concerns about issues like the $36 trillion national debt, many young voters expressed measured support for Trump’s agenda while grappling with its implications.
