Fewer than one in three young Americans approve of how President Trump and Congress are doing. That’s the finding from Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. Their latest youth poll surveyed Americans aged 18 to 29. And the numbers aren’t pretty for either party.
Trump’s approval rating sits at 31%. That’s barely changed since his first term. In spring 2017, it was 32%. Fall 2020? Just 29%.
Democrats in Congress, though, have seen their support collapse. Only 23% of young Americans approve of their job performance. That’s down from 42% in spring 2017—nearly a 20-point plunge.
Meanwhile, congressional Republicans are holding steady. Their approval ticked up one point—from 28% to 29% since 2017. Not great, but not tanking like their rivals.
It’s not just Harvard’s numbers showing trouble for Democrats. Gallup’s latest poll shows congressional Democrat confidence at a record low—just 25%. That’s even lower than the 2023 low of 34%.
The Gallup survey also revealed a massive 41-point drop in confidence among Democrats themselves. Other polls—from Quinnipiac, CNN, and NBC—have also shown sinking favorability for the Democratic Party.
November’s elections didn’t help. Republicans won the White House, took back the Senate, and held the House. They also made gains with Black, Hispanic, and young voters—key parts of the Democrat base.
Many Democrats are frustrated. Trump has moved fast to slash the federal government and shake up policy. But party leaders in Congress haven’t done much to stop him, at least in the eyes of their base.
Harvard’s poll paints a bleak picture. Just 15% of young Americans think the country is headed in the right direction. Over half—51%—say it’s going the wrong way.
And when asked if things are better under Trump now than they were under Biden, only 25% said yes. Forty-one percent said Biden did better. Fourteen percent said there’s no difference, and 17% weren’t sure.