Young Americans Persist in Losing Faith in Government Institutions
A recent poll reveals that young Americans are growing more skeptical of government institutions. Their perceptions of both Democrats and Trump are similarly negative.
TroibNews 
A new poll from the Harvard Kennedy School reveals a declining trust in government institutions among young people, especially within Gen Z, who express skepticism towards all three branches of government.
The spring 2025 Harvard Youth Poll indicates that this generation, which grew up during the Covid-19 pandemic and now faces increased economic uncertainty, has a significantly dwindling confidence in governmental bodies.
The poll found that only 19 percent of respondents believed the federal government “to do the right thing most or all the time.” Among the young individuals surveyed, Congress received the least confidence, with merely 18 percent expressing trust in the legislative body. The president's office garnered a slightly better response, with 23 percent trust. The Supreme Court was viewed more favorably, as 29 percent expressed their trust in it.
"Amid financial hardship and a devastating crisis of community, young Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the world as they struggle to find their place in it," stated Jordan Schwartz, the student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, in a press release. "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."
The Democratic Party, in particular, is experiencing a significant loss of support among young Americans. Approval for congressional Democrats has plummeted from 42 percent in spring 2017 to just 23 percent in March. In contrast, approval for congressional Republicans has remained relatively steady, with 29 percent supporting them this year, up from 28 percent at the start of the Trump administration.
However, young Americans do not hold the Republican Party in high regard either. President Donald Trump’s job approval rating among this demographic stands at 31 percent, nearly unchanged from 32 percent in spring 2017 and 29 percent in fall 2020, which is considerably lower than his overall approval rating among the general electorate.
Trump's tariff policy also faced backlash from young voters, with only 19 percent supporting new tariffs on foreign goods and 50 percent opposed. The poll indicates a stark partisan divide on this issue, as 46 percent of young Republicans expressed support for tariffs, while only 5 percent of Democrats did, with 82 percent of young Democrats opposing the policy altogether.
Interestingly, Trump appears to be gaining ground in a demographic where he has historically struggled. His approval rating among young Black Americans surged from 6 percent in 2017 to 16 percent in the latest poll, while his approval among young white Americans dropped from 44 percent to 39 percent.
The Harvard Youth Poll surveyed 2,096 Americans aged 18 to 29 from March 14-25, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.21 percentage points.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
The spring 2025 Harvard Youth Poll indicates that this generation, which grew up during the Covid-19 pandemic and now faces increased economic uncertainty, has a significantly dwindling confidence in governmental bodies.
The poll found that only 19 percent of respondents believed the federal government “to do the right thing most or all the time.” Among the young individuals surveyed, Congress received the least confidence, with merely 18 percent expressing trust in the legislative body. The president's office garnered a slightly better response, with 23 percent trust. The Supreme Court was viewed more favorably, as 29 percent expressed their trust in it.
"Amid financial hardship and a devastating crisis of community, young Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the world as they struggle to find their place in it," stated Jordan Schwartz, the student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, in a press release. "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."
The Democratic Party, in particular, is experiencing a significant loss of support among young Americans. Approval for congressional Democrats has plummeted from 42 percent in spring 2017 to just 23 percent in March. In contrast, approval for congressional Republicans has remained relatively steady, with 29 percent supporting them this year, up from 28 percent at the start of the Trump administration.
However, young Americans do not hold the Republican Party in high regard either. President Donald Trump’s job approval rating among this demographic stands at 31 percent, nearly unchanged from 32 percent in spring 2017 and 29 percent in fall 2020, which is considerably lower than his overall approval rating among the general electorate.
Trump's tariff policy also faced backlash from young voters, with only 19 percent supporting new tariffs on foreign goods and 50 percent opposed. The poll indicates a stark partisan divide on this issue, as 46 percent of young Republicans expressed support for tariffs, while only 5 percent of Democrats did, with 82 percent of young Democrats opposing the policy altogether.
Interestingly, Trump appears to be gaining ground in a demographic where he has historically struggled. His approval rating among young Black Americans surged from 6 percent in 2017 to 16 percent in the latest poll, while his approval among young white Americans dropped from 44 percent to 39 percent.
The Harvard Youth Poll surveyed 2,096 Americans aged 18 to 29 from March 14-25, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.21 percentage points.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
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