This is lowest level of optimism recorded since Gallup began tracking the question nearly two decades ago.
A new poll shows Americans’ optimism about the future has dropped to a record low, underscoring the growing feeling of doom across the country in recent years.
The poll suggests Democrats and Hispanic Americans were particularly pessimistic last year amid the political climate surrounding President Donald Trump and his push against DEI initiatives. But Republicans aren’t feeling as optimistic as they did at the end of Trump’s first term either.
As Joe Biden’s presidency ended and Trump’s second term began, Democratic optimism dropped from 65% to 57%, while Republican confidence rose only slightly—still trailing previous highs. A January AP-NORC survey also found that although most Republicans continue to support Trump, many feel his economic performance has fallen short of expectations.
“The regime change in the White House almost certainly was a big driving factor in what’s happened,” Witters said. “And a lot of that was just because the people who identified as Democrats really took it in the chops.”
Optimism among Hispanic adults reached a new low during Trump’s first year back in office, declining from 69% to 63%, a bigger drop than among white and Black Americans. Analysts say the shift may reflect concerns about inflation, access to health care, and anxiety over Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“(Deportations are) something that everybody can see and look at with their own eyes,” Witters said. “But if you’re Hispanic, I think it’s fair to think that that might hit a little closer to home.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
