Will young voters shun Trump in US Midterms? Yale's nationwide poll drops a hint

The United States is gearing up for another election cycle, with the November midterms set to shape the country’s political landscape and test President Donald Trump’s standing. All seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be up for grabs.

A poll highlights discontent among youths

With less than seven months to go until the midterms, a new Yale Youth Poll highlights growing divides in public opinion and potential shifts in control of Congress.

As the war in West Asia intensifies despite a ceasefire, political divisions in the US are sharpening, with young voters increasingly being courted by both parties ahead of the midterms.

Guided by the poll, young voters in particular overwhelmingly disapprove of the president’s performance. More than two-thirds of those aged 18 to 34 expressed disapproval of the 47th president, far exceeding his overall approval rating.

More from World

Other polls point in the same direction, suggesting a shift toward Democrats that could see them retake control of the House.

Larger majorities of voters aged 18-22 which is about 68 per cent, 23-29 (72 per cent), and 30-34 (75 per cent) expressed complete dissatisfaction with Trump's performance.

Trump's victory

The poll was conducted in March which showed discontent among people has been growing aggressively for Trump since he returned to power in January 2025.

Men within this age bracket were an important factor in Trump’s 2024 election victory. Philip Wang, political reporter for Time magazine, argued in an article on April 8 that this “same voting bloc … is showing far less interest in voting in the midterms”.

The poll was conducted from October to November 2025, Trump’s approval has dropped among men and women in every age bracket under 35.

Make America great again

The polls suggest Trump's idea of Making America Great Again is not loved by many, especially the younger generation. Among 18 to 22-year-olds, the percentage of voters who are unhappy with the president's performance has risen by four percentage points.

Young voters say they intend to vote for blue (Democrats) in this fall's congressional midterm race.

Primary voting numbers in Texas are encouraging for Democrats. For the first time in six years, more of its supporters cast early vote ballots in a March primary than Republicans.

According to analysis by American broadcaster NPR: “In the ten most populous counties in Texas that are also at least 50 per cent Latino, votes in the Democratic primary increased by an average of 128 per cent.”

Next Presidential elections

The next presidential elections for America is more than two years away but voters have already selected their preferred candidates.

In the poll, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom of California effectively tied at the top of the list for all surveyed Democratic voters. But when broken down to younger voters, preferences were more divided.

Voters aged 18 to 34 favored New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez first, at 32 per cent, followed by Harris at 20 per cent. Older voters aged 65 and up said they prefer Newsom, at 28 per cent, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, at 19 per cent.

As the West Asia war escalated, citizens were able to witness hardships as Trump worked on his preferential metrics. Gas prices, oil transportation, shot up fanning economic anxiety just as Republicans were hoping to focus on Americans’ tax breaks and refunds.