A new poll is making waves online, and it’s got people asking: Is Gen Z warming up to President Donald Trump?
The short answer is yes — but only a little, and the full story is more complicated than a headline might suggest.
According to a recent YouGov/Economist poll taken from August 9 to 11, Trump’s approval rating among Gen Z voters (those aged roughly 18 to 29) has climbed in the past month. In July, just 18 percent of Gen Z approved of Trump, while a whopping 66 percent disapproved. That gave him a net approval rating of -38.
In August, something changed. Trump’s approval with Gen Z jumped to 33 percent. Disapproval dropped a bit, down to 61 percent. That means his net approval rating improved to -28 — a 10-point gain in just one month.
Still, let’s be clear: most Gen Z voters still don’t approve of Trump. But the shift is real, and it’s worth exploring why it’s happening.
One possible reason is the economy. Gen Z voters are feeling a bit better about the direction of the country’s finances, and Trump seems to be getting some of the credit. In July, only 30 percent of Gen Z voters approved of how Trump was handling the economy. In August, that number rose to 36 percent. At the same time, disapproval fell from 64 percent to 54 percent.
On inflation, Trump also saw a bump. In July, just 23 percent of Gen Z approved of his handling of rising prices. By August, that number had grown to 31 percent. Disapproval dropped as well, from 72 percent to 60 percent.
This shift lines up with changing views on the economy overall. In July, more than half of Gen Z voters said the economy was getting worse. In August, that number dropped to 51 percent, while more people (18 percent) said things were getting better.
But not everything is going Trump’s way. Gen Z is still skeptical of his honesty and leadership. Only 22 percent described him as “honest” in August, up slightly from 20 percent in July. Meanwhile, those who said he’s not honest dropped from 67 percent to 57 percent. That’s movement, but not a dramatic change — and it still leaves most young voters doubting his truthfulness.
Part of the issue may be linked to Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. This has become a hot-button topic, especially among younger Americans who care about justice and transparency. Only 13 percent of Gen Z voters approve of how Trump has dealt with the Epstein situation. A strong 69 percent disapprove. And nearly half — 44 percent — believe Trump knew “a lot” about Epstein’s crimes before the investigations began.
Trump has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal behavior. But the public wants answers. Billionaire Elon Musk has even called on Trump to release all files related to Epstein. Meanwhile, advocacy groups say the government is hiding something and are demanding full transparency.
Congress is now getting involved. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the Department of Justice for its Epstein files, giving them until August 19 to respond. That means this story isn’t going away any time soon.
Another recent move by Trump also sparked controversy. After disappointing job numbers came out — just 73,000 new jobs added in July — Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. He accused her of manipulating the numbers, though he didn’t offer proof. Only 13 percent of Gen Z voters supported that decision, while half said they weren’t sure what to think.
Despite all this, Trump is gaining ground with young voters. In the 2024 election, he narrowed the Democratic lead among Gen Z. Kamala Harris beat Trump among voters aged 18 to 29 by just 4 points — a big drop from 2020, when Joe Biden led Trump in that group by 25 points.
So while Trump still faces big challenges with Gen Z, the latest numbers show that some young voters are rethinking their views. Whether that trend continues will depend on what happens next — with the economy, with transparency, and with how Trump handles the spotlight.