Financial Strain Deepens for Young Men as Trump Support Plummets Among 18-29 Yearolds

Despite various signs that the economy is improving, young male voters continue to report struggles paying bills. A new survey from Third Way, a centrist Democrat group, found President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has dropped 34 points among men aged 18 to 29.

The poll indicates 58% of young men say Trump has negatively affected their finances, while only 23% report a positive impact. Additionally, 65% state they are struggling to pay bills or barely making enough to get by.

Third Way’s pollster, HIT Strategies, is noted as left-leaning by some analysts. Republican data analyst Brent Buchanan, founder of Cygnal, acknowledged similar trends among younger male voters: “We have seen in the last several months that men under the age of 30 have really fallen off of Donald Trump,” he said. “They made an exception for Donald Trump in 2024, and they haven’t seen the benefit of it.”

Trump won 54% of young men in 2024, representing an 18-point shift to the right from prior cycles, according to AP VoteCast data.

The frustration appears rooted less in broad economic indicators and more in affordability. Nearly half of young men blamed Trump’s tariffs for higher grocery prices, though many also faulted corporations and a “corrupt political system” for rising housing costs. At the same time, 73% said American culture has changed for the worse since their parents’ generation.

The numbers suggest a complex political picture. While some young men remain culturally aligned with Trump’s populist message, many are impatient for faster financial relief. Only 26% in the survey would back Vice President JD Vance in a hypothetical 2028 presidential bid.

Republicans note that wage growth for blue-collar workers has accelerated and job creation has outpaced expectations, arguing economic momentum takes time to translate into personal balance sheets. With young men increasingly disengaged from politics when they feel unheard, both parties will be watching closely.