Gen Z loves both Trump and Mamdani for the same reason

What bash President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani person successful common? Not much, but this: young adults emotion them.

In fact, some men beryllium their electoral victories successful portion to Gen Z, my generation. Seventy-eight percent of voters ages 18 to 29 turned retired for Mamdani connected Nov. 4, according to 1 breakdown, including 67% of young men and 84% of young women.

Just a twelvemonth earlier, galore successful this aforesaid demographic were heading to the polls to formed their votes for Trump. The president won 46% of Gen Zers past year, including 56% of young men and 40% of young women, importantly improving his lasting among this radical compared to 2020 and 2016.

If this chaotic plaything from close to near has fixed you whiplash, I don’t blasted you. But determination is immoderate method to the madness.

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Both President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani person a unsocial entreaty to young voters. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images; Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

What drew young adults to Mamdani is the aforesaid happening that drew them to Trump: his committedness to beryllium different, to radically upend a strategy that Gen Zers judge has failed and disenfranchised them.

It is not a coincidence, for example, that Trump’s support among young adults was highest successful February and March of this twelvemonth erstwhile helium began aggressively rolling retired his agenda. Of course, immoderate of that tin beryllium attributed to the honeymoon effect that each president enjoys astatine the commencement of his term. But the policies themselves earned Gen Z’s favor.

Take the Department of Government Efficiency, for instance: astir 3 successful 4 college-age Americans said they supported Trump’s efforts to slash waste, fraud and maltreatment successful the national government. Older voters mightiness person recovered DOGE’s cuts jarring, but for young adults it felt similar the archetypal clip thing was really getting done.

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Mamdani’s proposals evidently are radically antithetic from Trump’s. Instead of gutting authorities to marque it much responsive, Mamdani wants to summation its size and scope successful conscionable astir each respect. Indeed, during his triumph code connected Tuesday, Mamdani insisted he’ll beryllium there’s nary occupation "too small" for his authorities to solve.

That’s a terrifying thought to those acquainted with governmental world and history. But to young adults my property who excessively often are unacquainted with either, Mamdani’s pledge sounds similar a genuine effort to marque New York City’s authorities enactment for them alternatively than against them — with immoderate escaped worldly thrown successful on the way.

This constituent is key. Young adults consciousness arsenic though they person nary spot successful our authorities and economy, and they are hopeless for a mode in. Older Americans mightiness disregard Gen Z’s concerns arsenic a rite of passage, but the information is the American imagination they watched their parents and grandparents execute feels wholly unattainable now.

Unlike older generations, for example, galore young adults are saddled with crippling pupil indebtedness indebtedness from chasing degrees that nary longer supply the cushy white-collar careers they were promised. And connected Nov. 4, a caller study recovered that the median property of a first-time homebuyer successful the U.S. is present 40 years aged — an all-time high.

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This is wherefore Gen Zers were the astir optimistic astir Trump’s program to bring down the outgo of housing, but besides wherefore they’re wooed by Mamdani’s inane committedness to frost rent crossed the Big Apple. Anything — thing — is amended than the existent trajectory.

New York City mayoral candidate, and present mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani holds hands with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, astatine the extremity of a run rally astatine Forest Hills Stadium successful the Queens borough of New York City connected Oct. 26, 2025. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

It besides helps that some Mamdani and Trump made a deliberate effort to link with young adults wherever they’re at: societal media. Call it TikTok populism, but Gen Zers are simply overmuch much apt to beryllium persuaded by the campaigner who understands however to pass with them. Trump did this by barnstorming the autarkic podcast scene, and Mamdani did it with catchy reels and influencer endorsements.

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Ultimately, my procreation is motivated little by argumentation specifics and much by a wide docket that promises to dismantle the presumption quo. Maybe that makes Gen Z young and dumb, but you’ll beryllium hard-pressed to find a young elector who cares. We’re not funny successful preserving an constitution we person nary involvement in, nor are we consenting to settee for the managed diminution that keeps older generations comfy but sacrifices our accidental astatine a prosperous future.

If Republicans privation to support gathering connected the inroads Trump made with Gen Z, they request to admit this and marque bully connected Trump’s committedness to upend the mode Washington works. What Gen Z wants is alteration — and fast.