Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

In It to Win It

(12,728 posts)
Mon May 4, 2026, 11:58 PM 15 hrs ago

'Disappointed,' 'Surprised,' 'Betrayed': 11 Trump Voters on What Has Gone Wrong

Gift Link
NYT


Eighty percent of Republicans approve of President Trump’s performance, but his national standing has dipped, especially among independents.

That leaves plenty of people who voted for Mr. Trump but who may not feel good about the direction of the country. For Opinion’s latest focus group, conducted earlier this month, we spoke with voters like this: people who cast their ballots for Mr. Trump and said they were disappointed with his second term. A few said they even regretted their votes.

Some participants had been hopeful in 2024, but many of them felt that Mr. Trump was the “lesser of two evils” and the alternative might have been not voting at all: social conservatives, antiwar Republicans, people with hopes about prices and taxes coming down or deep dissatisfaction with Democratic policies. Their frustration mostly came in three categories: the implementation of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies, the Iran war and the continued high cost of living. People had praise for what Mr. Trump had done with the border, on crime and the idea of DOGE, but many of these voters are unhappy, some depressed and upset, with the direction of the country.

How do you talk about a situation you’re disappointed about or even a decision you regret, though, especially with people you know might disagree? It can be difficult.

My takeaway from the Times focus group of Trump voters is that they are collectively dumb as a bag of hair, do not have a single clue about how the world works, and are as disingenuous as they are defensive. No taking responsibility in any real way. Just narcissistic whiners.

Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:41:53.156Z

Most are just lying about "regrets." You believed Trump would reduce inflation? He promised new taxes on imported goods, if you believed that, you're an idiot.

You wanted non-bigoted immigration enforcement? You voted for the "Mexicans are rapists" guy, go straight to hell.

It's just not credible.

Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:41:53.157Z

Only one truly sounded like they understood the gravity of their error, saying Dem family member warned them and: "time and time again, all of the things that they pointed out would happen have ended up happening. And I looked dumb as hell believing in fairy tales and wishy-washy promises."

Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:46:01.378Z

.

That's actually saying, "I was wrong." All the others are saying, "I was really right, but Trump isn't doing the assholery I voted for the right way." Sorry, but you don't get cut any slack for that and deserve every bit of criticism coming your direction.

Grits for Breakfast (@gritsforbreakfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:54:07.655Z
17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Skittles

(172,512 posts)
1. fuck anyone saying we need to show these people "compassion"
Tue May 5, 2026, 12:05 AM
14 hrs ago

they fucking DISGRACED America, FUCK THEM

Mtnmama

(165 posts)
6. What jumps out at me
Tue May 5, 2026, 03:06 AM
11 hrs ago

Is that 80% of Republicans still support trump. After all he has done, always was and will continue to be. I woke up thinking of Ukraine, of Zelensky, of Navalny, of what a monster Putin is, and how much trump must adore him, and it nauseates me. That republicans can tolerate such a man tells me all I need to know about them. That sickens me, too.

Deminpenn

(17,563 posts)
10. Remember those are hardcore Rs
Tue May 5, 2026, 08:12 AM
6 hrs ago

And you need 90+% for election purposes.

My guess is many Rs now are IND are reflected in those poll groups.

BannonsLiver

(20,791 posts)
16. 80 is a terrible number for him
Tue May 5, 2026, 11:35 AM
3 hrs ago

At his peak that number was in the mid 90s. I’ve seen some polling with it as low as 68 percent.

betsuni

(29,228 posts)
7. Oh, but we're supposed to read books about them, pay attention to The Sadness of Rural White People or else.
Tue May 5, 2026, 04:00 AM
11 hrs ago

Culture war grievances used to make them so happy.

ms liberty

(11,324 posts)
9. I am Rural White People and I AM Sad...
Tue May 5, 2026, 07:51 AM
7 hrs ago

Sad that so many of my neighbors keep voting Republican and then complaining about everything going to shit, and blaming democrats for it.

flvegan

(66,453 posts)
8. Oh just fuck every single one of these fuckwits sideways.
Tue May 5, 2026, 04:42 AM
10 hrs ago

but many of them felt that Mr. Trump was the “lesser of two evils”

Herp dee derrr, pardon my fucking stupidity, but the pedophile rapist grifter racist asshole "feels" like the "lesser of two evils." Translation: I'm far too fucking stupid to do anything short of breathe.

Never forget, never forgive.

Johnny2X2X

(24,380 posts)
11. Just infuriating
Tue May 5, 2026, 08:59 AM
6 hrs ago

These people are so freaking dumb that I have almost no doubts they'd vote for him again because he'd say the other candidate was "woke" and then they'd start with their lesser of 2 evils BS again.

yardwork

(69,526 posts)
12. I read most of it until I couldn't take any more.
Tue May 5, 2026, 09:03 AM
6 hrs ago

What a collection of losers, whining that everybody is so mean and divisive and they don't have any safe space to talk about their confusion and regret - after voting for the most divisive politician imaginable. The "fuck your feelings" crowd crying because nobody wants to hold their hand and tell them that their vote was ok after all.

The way Kamala Harris is dismissed - "I just didn't really like her" - while they voted for the guy who'd been a complete fuck up four years previously. "I thought he was real smart like he says he is and that he'd learned his lesson and would be the best president ever ... who could have imagined that this would happen..."

The bigotry toward Jewish people really stood out to me. And Latino voters complaining that they're being targeted by ICE but apparently it would have been fine with them if other ethnicities were targeted. White people fine with ICE ("at least he closed the border on day one, he did do that..." )

Just so lazy and misinformed and fantasy driven. And bigoted. Deeply bigoted. It's clear why they "just I don't know didn't really like Kamala..."

I don't see how a nation of fools can sustain a democracy.

In It to Win It

(12,728 posts)
14. They kept saying Trump was the "lesser of two evils", and that was exhausting to read.
Tue May 5, 2026, 11:26 AM
3 hrs ago

They can just say it, and they never have to explain how Trump was the lesser of two evils or what was so "evil" about Kamala Harris. What do you think about Kamala Harris that is so "evil"? It doesn't even seem like they tried getting to know anything about her so how exactly did they determine she was so bad?

Aristus

(72,439 posts)
13. They deliberately voted for an economically and morally bankrupt con-man, and they got what they wanted.
Tue May 5, 2026, 09:27 AM
5 hrs ago

They got to own the libs.

Fuck 'em all. They deserve whatever they get. Their remorse, however sincere it may be, is too little, too late.

Innocent people are dead. We're at war in the Middle East, again, with no clear objective and no end in sight, the economy is crashing, no one can afford anything, and the guy they voted for gleefully, hoping he would "shake things up", is now causing them to regret how shaken they are.

Go to Hell, all of you.

You are supremely useless, worthless, steaming, festering masses of defective human protoplasm who should never have been born.

GusBob

(8,279 posts)
15. These nice folks are not suffering enough for my preference
Tue May 5, 2026, 11:33 AM
3 hrs ago

But I get it

Of note: selling a house is like winning the lottery we have learned

3 of our Trump loving/voting family members who are in dire financial straits have hit us up for money

GoodRaisin

(11,007 posts)
17. Keep in mind that these are among the most confirmed stupid people on the planet.
Tue May 5, 2026, 02:09 PM
56 min ago

They will run out and vote for Republicans again.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»'Disappointed,' 'Surprise...