Trump Voters Splinter Over His Rapid Shake-Up of Washington
Some core supporters love his no-holds-barred approach, but several swing voters are taken aback at his early moves
Staci White said she voted for President Trump because she wanted lower prices and to stop fentanyl from coming into the U.S.
Now, with widespread federal layoffs and expected cuts, she worries her family will lose their house if her partner is laid off from his government-adjacent job. At the dialysis unit where she works, staff have started doing drills for what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes to deport their patients, some of whom are in the country illegally.
“When we said safer borders, I thought he was thinking ‘let’s stop the drugs from coming into the country,’” she said. “I didn’t know he was going to start raiding places.” She said she didn’t believe he would actually follow through on some of the more hard-line policies he touted during the campaign.
“Now I’m like: ‘Dang, why didn’t I just pick Kamala?’” said the 49-year-old Omaha, Neb., resident, referring to the former vice president and last-minute Democratic nominee.
A poll released last month by The Wall Street Journal found that most wanted a tempered, less assertive set of policies than Trump promised in the most unbridled moments of his campaign. The Journal in recent weeks followed up with nearly two dozen of Trump’s supporters and discovered a divergence: Some expressed regrets or concerns, while many were gleeful over his early actions to shake up Washington.
“I’m thrilled with Trump, and he’s done more in less than a month than most presidents have done in their whole term,” said Todd Winant, a holistic coach from Cornville, Ariz. Winant was a longtime Democrat who had initially been all in on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. but moved over to Trump after the independent candidate dropped out.
Winant, 64, cited Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine, his immigration crackdown and his decision to put Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman now the country’s intelligence chief, in his cabinet. “My whole nervous system relaxed,” when Kennedy and Gabbard were confirmed, he said.
A flurry of government actions have reimagined the size and focus of the federal workforce, demanding loyalty for employees who remain. Trump’s administration has attempted to freeze domestic spending and limit foreign aid. He sought to end birthright citizenship and amp up deportations of those in the country illegally. He also ended government hiring programs focused on diversity, banned transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports and pardoned nearly all of the people who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Trump defeated Harris in November by increasing his margin of support across demographic groups, including with minority and young voters. He also won back some of the independent and Republican women he had lost during his 2020 bid.
Malachi Leflore, a college student, had sat out the 2020 election but decided to vote this time because he was unhappy with former President Joe Biden’s leadership.
Leflore, a 23-year-old Los Angeles resident, cheered on Trump’s government cuts and deportations, saying he would support more widespread removal of people who came to the U.S. illegally.
“I say he’s pretty much exceeded expectations, honestly. I did not expect him to be this quick in actually making these changes,” he said.
Emily Anderson, from Duluth, Minn., always considered herself a Democrat but backed Trump after Kennedy dropped out of the race. Anderson aligned with Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” messaging, particularly the focus on getting toxins out of food. Kennedy is now Health and Human Services secretary.
Anderson, who works with disabled adults, said Kennedy’s government role is the only bright spot for a vote she categorizes as the “biggest mistake of my life.”
She is horrified by Trump’s focus on deportations and use of Guantanamo Bay to hold migrants. She alleged that Trump has been too focused on “ridiculous” flashy moves, such as banning paper straws and renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” Her daughter’s occupational therapist has stopped taking new patients over fears that the practice will have its federal funding dry up.
“I feel so stupid, guilty, regretful—embarrassed is a huge one. I am absolutely embarrassed that I voted for Trump,” said Anderson, 30.
About a third of Americans support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, according to a February survey by Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, 17% of those surveyed said they support some of what he is putting forward. Forty-seven percent of Americans oppose all or most of his plans. That survey had Trump with a 51% disapproval rating, with 47% of Americans saying they approve of the job he is doing as president.
Even among voters who liked Trump there were some questions about the depth and speed of action. Some questioned Trump’s plans for large-scale deportations, instead urging him to keep a narrow focus on criminals. Others mentioned dramatic government cuts and funding freezes, championed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, as affecting programs they or their community relied on. Some minority voters cheered the end of diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices but also worried about a rise in discrimination under Trump.
Supporters said Trump’s style is to come on strong and then compromise. Many pointed to his demands for sweeping tariffs against Mexico and Canada, before postponing them to give time to negotiate.
“At first glance, ‘oh no,’ you cringe. You’re like ‘holy s— he’s going to start a war,’” said Denver resident Gary Dixon, adding that Trump is smart to leave room for compromise.
Dixon, a 66-year-old telecommunications contractor, said he is enjoying Trump’s early days, particularly the focus on addressing government waste. Still, he said “steamrolling” the government is unsustainable for the next four years.
“He’s doing 80 miles an hour. I wouldn’t mind if he went around 55,” he said.
Write to Eliza Collins at eliza.collins@wsj.com
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