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United States Donald Trump’s second term policies are deeply unpopular to young people, according to the latest edition of the Harvard Youth Poll released on Wednesday morning.
None of President Donald Trump’s eight key policy agendas received more than 35 percent of support from young people, and only 19 percent supported the administration’s tariff policies, according to the poll.
The poll, conducted by the Harvard Public Opinion Project in mid-March, surveyed more than 2,000 young Americans and found that fewer than one-third approve of Trump or either party in Congress and just 19 percent trust the federal government to make the right decisions.
Young Americans also did not provide a ringing endorsement of liberal policies, the poll reported.
As the Trump administration moves to crack down on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, just 9 percent of young Americans reported that DEI efforts have helped them, 11 percent said DEI efforts have hurt them, and the vast majority did not know enough about DEI to say.
Only 42 percent said they thought there was an immigration crisis at the Southern border today — an 11 point decrease from last spring’s poll, when President Joe Biden was in office. Since taking office, Trump has issued 10 executive orders related to immigration, which include seeking to end birthright citizenship, rounding up unauthorized immigrants, and deploying active duty troops at the border.
Even young Democrats were less concerned about immigration under Trump. 26 percent said the border was a crisis in the most recent poll, down from 43 percent in 2024.
And on economic policy, 50 percent of respondents said they opposed implementing any new tariffs, compared to only 19 percent in support. Despite the widespread opposition, Trump gradually imposed crippling tariffs on key allies in recent months, including a lasting 145 percent tariff on imports from China.
But opinions on the controversial policy split sharply along political lines. Nearly half of young Republicans backed new tariff policies versus just 5 percent of young Democrats.
Trump’s creation of the Department of Government Efficiency was met with the most approval, accruing 35 percent support among respondents. Trump’s proposal to take control of and redevelop Gaza was the least popular, with only 14 percent support and 54 percent opposition. according to the poll.
“This generation doesn’t expect politics to solve their problems, but as young Americans continue to lose faith in government institutions, the need for politicians to listen to and learn from young people has never been greater,” Jordan Schwartz ’27, the student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, said in a press release.
The poll offered a dismal but divided assessment of what it’s like to be a young person in America, documenting widespread isolation, perceived economic hardship, and sharp ideological disagreement among youth.
“Young Americans have apprehensions about what would have seemed unimaginable just a few short years ago,” IOP Director Setti Warren said in a press release. “These findings are a stark reality check and leaders across the country would be wise to pay close attention.”
Though almost all young Americans expressed frustration about the country’s future, 76 percent of Republicans reported they “are proud to be American” compared to just 24 percent of Democrats.
Across ideological lines, however, the poll recorded a search for belonging among young Americans — less than half of whom feel a sense of community, according to the poll.
The poll found that lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had contributed to a feeling of isolation among young people, reporting that 31 percent said the pandemic caused a “lasting negative impact on their friendships.”
The poll also documented a widespread sense of economic hardship among young people, reporting that more than 4 in 10 young Americans under 30 are “barely getting by financially.”
John Della Volpe, the director of polling at the Institute of Politics, said the poll proved the consequences of pandemic isolation, an “unstable economy,” and “skyrocketing housing and education costs.”
“What Gen Z needs isn’t another lecture, but genuine recognition of their struggles and leaders willing to listen before they speak,” Della Volpe said in a press release.
—Staff writer Elise A. Spenner can be reached at elise.spenner@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @EliseSpenner.
—Staff writer Tanya J. Vidhun can be reached at tanya.vidhun@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @tanyavidhun.
