Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election was largely secured by the influx of votes from young voters. Men under the age of 30, who have been drifting to the right en masse in recent years, played the biggest role. Several factors were behind this shift: the ‘epidemic of male loneliness,’ the lack of affordable education, the labour market crisis for young men without higher education, and a general sense of social instability.
However, July data from American sociologists recorded a sharp reversal in this dynamic. Support for Trump among young people under 30 has plummeted to 28% — the lowest level in recent years. And it is this group, which once provided Trump with additional electoral resources, that is now becoming a source of his vulnerability.
Interestingly, young men disappointed in Trump have divided into two camps. The first half is once again leaning towards the Democratic Party, independent candidates, or depoliticisation altogether. For these young people, Trump has lost his image as an ‘alternative’ and is increasingly associated with an outdated, conservative, and in some places oligarchic model of power. The second half, on the contrary, considers Trump too soft. In their eyes, he has not been consistent enough in pursuing a tough agenda. These voters are moving towards even more radical segments. For example, towards libertarians, the far right or even openly fascist movements.
Against this backdrop, Trump’s break with Elon Musk dealt an additional blow to his position. For a significant portion of young men, Musk symbolised a new type of leader: tech-savvy, aggressive, anti-globalist and right-wing libertarian. Musk’s withdrawal of support for Trump is perceived as a sign of weakness on the part of the latter and reinforces the migration of young radicals to other political centres.
Thus, the electoral landscape in the United States is entering a new phase. And the main question today is who will be able to capture this part of the electorate.
