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NBC News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Focus groups: Latino Trump voters diverge on deportations but largely still back the president
Some divides are emerging among swing-state Latinos who voted for President Donald Trump when it comes to his approach to mass deportations, according to new focus group conversations with some of these voters, who nevertheless remain broadly supportive of the president. Most of the Latino Trump voters who participated in recent focus groups observed by NBC News as part of the 2025 Deciders series, produced by Syracuse University and the research firms Engagious and Sago, said they approve of Trump's handling of illegal immigration. And most approved of his actions broadly as president. These voters were key to Trump's win in 2024, when he improved significantly among Latino voters compared to his previous campaigns. The president lost Latinos by 5 points last year, after losing the group by 33 points in 2020, according to the NBC News exit poll. Other estimates of the 2024 vote have indicated the broad shift, too, though some have not shown quite as much movement. The people in these focus groups said they voted for Trump because of concerns about the economy, including inflation, and about immigration. And most of them were still behind the president (all but four also voted for Trump in 2020). 'He's keeping his promises and he's doing what he said he was going to do,' David L., a 60 year-old Georgia voter who grew up in Mexico, said of Trump. But there were cracks, albeit small ones, in support for some of Trump's specific policies. Two voters who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and flipped to Trump in 2024 said they would not vote for Trump if given the chance to redo their vote, choosing instead to back a third-party candidate. One of those voters, Ruby L., 59, of Georgia, said she disapproved of Trump's presidency so far because of potential cuts to programs like Medicaid and because of his approach to deporting undocumented immigrants. 'He was going to deport people that were criminals and have backgrounds,' said Ruby, who was born in Colombia. 'But I see that he's deporting people that work hard and have been in this country. I think he should find a way to help them stay and get a citizenship or something.' Deportation divides Ruby's concerns about widespread deportations underscored some divisions among these voters, even as they broadly supported Trump's actions on immigration. Three of the Trump voters disapproved of his handling of illegal immigration broadly, while 10 approved. That may not reflect Latino Trump voters' broad views, because, unlike a poll, which uses statistical methods to demonstrate how a larger population feels, focus groups dig deeper into how individual panelists view key questions facing the country. 'Most of these swing-state, Hispanic American Trump voters firmly endorse the president's focus on illegal immigration, though they want more thoughtful prioritization regarding who gets deported sooner versus later,' said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the sessions. Several voters supported deportations of undocumented immigrants regardless of whether they have committed crimes. 'Well, what do you expect? If you came here illegally, you've done something illegal. Expect the consequences,' said Justin O., 38, of Nevada, who was born in the United States and is of Mexican descent. 'If we're not going to enforce laws, why bother even having them?' said Zachary N., 40, of Michigan, who is also of Mexican descent. Maria P., a 40-year-old Nevada voter of Puerto Rican descent, said Trump's focus on deportations is no different from that of previous presidents, including Democrats Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. 'They all did it, but now it's just the first time everyone's discussing it,' Maria said. Connie A., a 59-year-old Arizona voter of Mexican descent, questioned why an undocumented immigrant who has been in the country for decades had not attempted to apply for a green card or for citizenship. 'There's not a direct path,' countered Mariana L., a 27-year-old North Carolina resident who was born in Venezuela and was one of several participants who noted the path to becoming a legal resident, even for those who want to, can be difficult. Mariana was among the voters who did not approve of Trump's handling of illegal immigration, pointing to his move to revoke certain legal protections for immigrants from her home country. 'Changing those statuses is kind of unfair for the people that built their lives here,' she said. Mariana and some other voters also said the administration should prioritize deporting undocumented immigrants who committed crimes. 'I guess they're focusing on both those who have committed crimes and those who haven't,' said Jennifer L., a 44-year-old Michigan voter of Mexican descent. She approved of Trump's overall performance as president but disapproved of his handling of illegal immigration. 'There's some that are going back because they should, but then there are also some immigrants that are going that really, maybe they haven't committed a crime,' she later added. 'He said he was going to focus on the criminals and stuff like that. And then there's people that are not criminals that are also going,' said Oscar B., a 52-year-old Pennsylvania voter, adding that the Trump administration should take a more 'tailored approach.' Oscar, who was born in Venezuela, also noted that he has seen posts on a local Facebook page for Latinos in his area that warn about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. 'People on there, they make posts where they talk about ICE being in the city and not to go out of your house,' Oscar said. Ruby of Georgia also said she has seen 'a lot of fear' in her community. 'They're afraid to go out and [they say], 'Don't go out if you're a citizen, don't go out without your citizenship certificate or whatever because you never know,'' Ruby said. 'So they're creating that source of fear around the area. Other voters, like Maria from Nevada, appeared to wrestle with different approaches to deporting undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for years "giving back to society," she said. 'It is the law,' she later added, 'but sometimes the law makes it nearly impossible for a lot of them to actually become citizens at the end of the day. And that's what we have to realize, also. So that's why I'm torn.' 'We see in their responses how conflicted some of these voters are when it comes deporting longtime undocumented residents who have become de facto Americans, have families, pay taxes, live peacefully and contribute to society," said Margaret Talev, director of Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, which leads the focus group project in partnership with Engagious/Sago. "Yet overwhelmingly they're still supporting President Trump, showing the resilience of their loyalty and just how motivated they are in opposing illegal immigration,' Talev said. Los Angeles response While there were some divisions over the Trump administration's deportations, the Trump voters who participated in the focus groups broadly backed Trump's response to protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles. Ten of the 13 participants approved of the president's decision to deploy California National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines, with several voters describing the protests as violent and destructive. 'Normally it might be kind of out of the ordinary, being that it was so early into the demonstrations. But I think given the [Black Lives Matter] riots and everything our country went through a few years ago, and it being in California where [Gov. Gavin] Newsom will pretty much not put his foot down at all, I think that he had to get ahead of it, otherwise we would be seeing even more of it,' said Rozlyn C., a 44-year-old Georgia voter of Cuban descent. 'These idiots are trying to tear down their city,' said Irma C., a 58-year-old Arizona voter of Mexican descent. The few who disapproved of Trump's actions described them as 'too much too soon' or out of bounds. 'There is a chain of command that has to be followed. A governor needs to request — we can't just go in there, the state needs to request. Now, he's just completely gone against that,' Justin of Nevada said, referring to Trump. 'The U.S. military should never be used against its own citizens ever. Period. Ever,' Justin later added. Mostly positive on economy Several of these voters said they supported Trump because they believed he could best address the economy and high prices, and for the most part they like what they've seen of Trump so far on those issues. Eight voters said they feel less anxious about the economy compared to when Trump took office in January. Just two said they were more anxious. 'The reduced anxiety eight of them feel about the economy after just five months reflects not only their experiences as consumers, but also their faith in President Trump as businessman-turned-leader,' said Thau, the focus group moderator. 'As a small-business owner, my costs went up under Biden,' said William A., a 60 year-old Georgia voter of Puerto Rican descent, suggesting Biden's policies raised the price of oil, which impacted 'everything else.' In his view, Trump's policies are 'raising our fuel production and lowering fuel costs.' Mariana, the North Carolina voter who was born in Venezuela, said she backed Trump and the Republican Party because of her concerns about the economy. She said she's seen local grocery prices go down since Trump took office. 'I think that the inflation, economy's what they know and Trump being a businessman is just what he does and has been doing for a living,' she said. But Jennifer, the Michigan voter, said high prices on goods such as eggs, dairy, meat and produce have persisted, and she did not believe that Trump was making addressing inflation a priority. 'I thought it would be a top priority instead of renaming the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America' instead,' Jennifer said. 'But hopefully it does happen. But definitely, in Michigan here it has not — prices here have gone up and have stayed up. A majority of voters also said they supported Trump's actions on trade and tariffs, with the rest saying they do not know enough about the issue to weigh in. Georgia's Rozlyn C. said she disagreed with the president's decision to impose tariffs on some countries with which the U.S. did not have a trade deficit. But she is still broadly supportive of the president. 'I think he has a grand master plan that most of us probably don't understand,' Rozlyn said. 'But I have faith that he, a hundred percent, has the best interest of our country at heart.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How a slice of Trump's coalition is viewing his presidency: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, we bring you the findings from our new focus group of Black men who voted for Donald Trump in 2024. Plus, Trump withdraws Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination to be U.N. ambassador amid concerns over the GOP's narrow House majority. And Jonathan Allen sifts through the White House's spin on the group chat episode. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. — Adam Wollner A new focus group with Black men who voted for Donald Trump in swing states in November showed that nearly all of them remain staunchly with him, but that the Department of Government Efficiency and his tariffs are potential pain points. The group of 12 voters — who participated in a recent focus group observed by NBC News as part of the 2025 Deciders series, produced by Syracuse University and the research firms Engagious and Sago — included six independents, four Democrats and two Republicans. Ten of them stood by their 2024 vote, with the remaining two saying they wouldn't vote for Trump again if given a do-over. DOGE: The results were far more mixed when it came to Elon Musk and DOGE. Five said they approved of DOGE's actions, three said they disapproved and the rest weren't sure yet. Among those backing DOGE, the spending audits and cuts were seen as bringing a bit of the private sector to government work, aimed at increasing efficiency of employees paid by taxpayer money. 'Every company needs someone to audit them. You shouldn't be an untouchable, you shouldn't be a sacred cow,' said Dorris S., a 56-year-old independent from Pennsylvania. 'They're there to maximize productivity and efficiency. I used to manage restaurants, we had health inspectors.' Meanwhile, Thomas A., a 49-year-old Democrat from Georgia who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and switched to Trump in 2024, said that while DOGE is doing 'some good,' he's concerned about the power Trump has delegated to Musk. He also wondered if DOGE's work could be antithetical to a push to improve the economy and help everyday Americans. 'He's too focused on cutting the weeds and the clutter, but he needs to focus on the economy and how to help people,' he said of Trump. Tariffs: Only three out of 12 participants affirmatively said Trump is making battling inflation a top priority, with those who said so largely connecting it to his threats to enact sweeping tariffs or cut government spending. The two voters who disapproved of Trump after voting for him both raised concerns about tariffs. Democrats: Still, this group of voters was down on the Democrats, using words such as 'liars,' 'untrustworthy,' 'ungodly,' 'a weird agenda' and 'weak' to describe the party today. Read more from the focus group → Trump pulled the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, citing concerns about the House's slim margin to enact his legislative agenda. Stefanik will remain in Congress, where Speaker Mike Johnson said she would have an unspecified leadership role. A federal judge ordered Trump administration agencies involved in a group chat on an attack on Yemen to 'preserve all Signal communications between March 11 and March 15.' Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., the chair and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, formally requested the Defense Department's acting inspector general to launch an investigation into the leaked Signal chat about U.S. military strikes in Yemen. Trump threatened to place 'far larger' tariffs on the European Union and Canada than planned if they work together to retaliate in response to his tariffs. The Department of Health and Human Services said it plans to cut 10,000 full-time jobs across several agencies. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited a high-security prison in El Salvador where deported Venezuelans are being the days since Trump administration officials saw a group chat go public, the White House and its allies have worked hard to spin the sins. Trump has attacked the journalist who was apparently inadvertently included in the Signal thread, The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg. And the president's amplifiers have suggested the fault lies with the National Security Council for letting Goldberg in. This telling puts National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on the hot seat — absolving the rest of the senior officials in the chat — and diverts attention from the most alarming aspects of the episode. The White House would like to gloss over that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared military operation plans against the Houthis outside of secure government communications systems. Similarly, Trump's team would prefer if no attention was paid to the fact that several Cabinet secretaries, the White House chief of staff and a White House deputy chief of staff appeared to have chosen not to object to using a commercial app that allows users to delete messages. Administration officials note that the strikes against the Houthis were successful, as though arriving home safely is a justification for reckless driving. White House officials and Attorney General Pam Bondi have insisted that none of the information was classified. That's also a distraction. Even if the information was classified, there's no world in which the White House would admit all of those people would be careless with this information. It's also irrelevant as a practical matter because Bondi would never prosecute department and agency leaders. None of these excuses serve Trump well. They don't make him look stronger or more committed to national security. As NBC News reported Wednesday, it's not just Democrats calling on Trump to fire someone. There are MAGA Republicans who think Trump should find someone to take the fall. If he doesn't, that risks leaving a stain on him. And there's no spinning out of that. Related reads: Timeline: The Trump administration's shifting stance on the Signal chat debacle, by Alexandra Bacallao and Alexandra Marquez A DHS staffer faces serious punishment for accidentally adding a reporter to a group email, by Julia Ainsley🗳️ National implications: The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is emerging as the first big test of Democrats' anti-Elon Musk playbook as the party searches for a winning message after its loss to Trump in November. Read more → 📞 On the line: Trump will hold two tele-town halls this evening for the two Republican candidates in next Tuesday's special House elections in Florida. Read more → 🗣 'Uncle Sam needs you': New Politics, a group co-chaired by Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., focused on supporting candidates from service backgrounds, is launching a multimillion-dollar effort to recruit thousands of people to run for offices up and down the ballot over the next four years. Read more → 📧 Rolling back vote-by-mail: Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law that will phase out the state's universal mail balloting system. Voting rights advocates say it's the first time a state has reversed such a policy. Read more → 💲 Tax math: Senators are expecting to receive a consequential decision from their in-house referee as early as next week that will shape whether Republicans can make President Donald Trump's expiring tax cuts permanent. Read more → 🌧️ Rain or shine: At least 10 weather balloon launch sites have suspended or limited their routine balloon releases because of the Trump administration's cuts to the National Weather Service staff, which experts say will reduce forecast quality. Read more → 👀 It's not easy being Greenland: Greenlanders say they're preparing to receive Vice President JD Vance ahead of his planned trip with what they're calling the 'Arctic cold shoulder' amid Trump's repeated calls to take over the mineral-rich island. Read more → That's all From the Politics Desk for now. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Faith Wardwell. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at And if you're a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up . This article was originally published on
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Focus group: Black men who backed Trump approve of his presidency — but raise some concerns about DOGE
New conversations with Black men who voted for Donald Trump in swing states in November showed that nearly all of them remain staunchly with him, but his administration's Department of Government Efficiency and his tariffs are potential pain points for the president among his supporters. Some of these men — who participated in a recent focus group observed by NBC News as part of the 2025 Deciders series, produced by Syracuse University and the research firms Engagious and Sago — raised concerns about the speed of the DOGE cuts and billionaire Elon Musk's power, while others backed the department's attempt to address a bloated government. Overall, they remain largely supportive of Trump because they believe he's taken the decisive action he promised on the campaign trail, and 10 of the 12 focus group participants stand by their vote in November, with the remaining two saying they wouldn't vote for Trump again if given a do-over. These Trump-voting Black men, including some who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, also expressed deep frustration with a rudderless Democratic Party, and were divided on the future of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. This group included six independents, four Democrats and two Republicans. Five of these voters — the four Democrats and one independent — said they voted for Biden in 2020 before backing Trump in 2024. Unlike a poll, which uses statistical methods to demonstrate how a larger population feels, the focus groups dig deeper into how individual panelists view key questions facing the country. While 10 of the 12 participants said they approved of Trump's early tenure during his second presidency, the results were far more mixed when it came to Musk and DOGE. Five said they approved of DOGE's actions, three said they disapproved and the rest weren't sure yet. Among those backing DOGE, the spending audits and cuts were seen as bringing a bit of the private sector to government work, aimed at increasing efficiency of employees paid by taxpayer money. 'Every company needs someone to audit them. You shouldn't be an untouchable, you shouldn't be a sacred cow," said Dorris S., a 56-year-old independent from Pennsylvania. "They're there to maximize productivity and efficiency. I used to manage restaurants, we had health inspectors." And Illya M., a 37-year-old from Arizona, said that it's time to turn the tables on the federal government. 'They're forcing us to file our taxes, so we're technically doing an audit, so I think everybody should be audited,' he said. Seven of the 12 participants specifically mentioned the possibility of the Trump administration sending Americans $5,000 checks, with five saying the checks would be funded by DOGE cuts. While Trump and his allies have promoted the idea of sending these 'DOGE dividends,' no decision has been made about whether to do so. The positive sentiment about DOGE was far from universal, and even those who said they supported its efforts weren't necessarily sold on its implementation. Illya M. went on to add that he 'heard they got the numbers wrong at some point,' adding, 'I don't see how this is really going to benefit us on a personal basis.' Among those who disapprove of DOGE's efforts, there were concerns both about Musk's accumulating power and the potential for 'unintended consequences.' 'The volume of the cuts — are there going to be unintended consequences that we didn't see until later down the road?' asked Denzel B., a 37-year-old Democrat from Arizona. Jeffrey G., a 57-year-old Democrat from Georgia who voted for Biden in 2020 before backing Trump this time, lamented how Trump 'should have gone in with a scalpel instead of a blowtorch.' 'Sure, you want to weed out the bad people that probably are bad people, but you want to keep good employees that are there,' he said. Thomas A., a 49-year-old Democrat from Georgia who voted for Biden in 2020 and switched to Trump in 2024, said that while DOGE is doing 'some good,' he's concerned about the power Trump has delegated to Musk. He also wondered if DOGE's work could be antithetical to a push to improve the economy and help everyday Americans. 'He's too focused on cutting the weeds and the clutter, but he needs to focus on the economy and how to help people,' he said of Trump. 'Being enthusiastic about DOGE tracks closely with passion for Trump, but passion for Trump doesn't always translate into enthusiasm for DOGE,' said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the sessions. Only three out of 12 participants affirmatively said Trump is making battling inflation a top priority, with those who said so largely connecting it to his threats to enact sweeping tariffs or cut government spending. But that focus wasn't a positive for Jeffrey G., who disapproves of Trump and wouldn't vote for him again if he could do the 2024 election over, because he doesn't agree with the president's economic moves. 'His way of fighting inflation, it's going to be a painful process," he said, "by making other countries pay their share of tariffs." Most of the participants, who didn't believe Trump has made fighting inflation a top priority, said they didn't necessarily mind. 'He has his hands in so many different things — I can wait 'til he gets to the six-month point, then I'll start worrying,' said Garland S., a 47-year-old Republican from Michigan. The sentiment meshes with how most of these men view Trump after two months in office, with broad approval of his job performance because they say he's being 'aggressive' in his follow-through after the campaign. 'I expected him to be aggressive in a lot of different areas and he's doing exactly that," said Dorris S. "Every few days, you're hearing something different and you're constantly seeing him at work, working, getting stuff done. So that's why I approve." Tariffs are dividing this group, however. They're particularly concerning to those who aren't fully on board with Trump, such as Denzel B. and Jeffrey G., who both disapprove of Trump after voting for him and both raised concerns about tariffs. But those still on board with Trump largely see the tariffs as the president's way to bludgeon the world economy into submission and, eventually, tackle rising prices at home. 'I did this past four years with this,' Kasheem S., a 38-year-old independent from Pennsylvania, said of inflation. 'If it has to continue on a little bit 'til it balances itself out, then I don't have a problem with that. It's already been going on.' Illya M. said that he is giving Trump a wide berth to deliver on his promises for a similar reason: He sees Trump as someone who's willing to at least try to make change. 'He did a lot of things — whether it actually happens exactly how he wanted it to happen or not, at least he tried and actually did something. So, that's more than I could say about the Democrats, probably ever,' he said. Other participants shared that sentiment. 'Liars,' 'untrustworthy,' 'ungodly,' 'a weird agenda' and 'weak' were just a few of the words they used to describe the Democratic Party today. Democrats make 'a bunch of false promises,' said Kasheem S. He added that he views the Democratic agenda as an attack on children, saying Democrats are 'not really relatable, just trying to sell a dream that's not the reality.' 'I think it's chaos,' said Antonio W., 47, of Arizona. 'Holding onto the past. They got nothing, to me, to promote to the American public.' The self-described Democrats also had some choice words for their party after splitting with it to vote for Trump last year. 'They're weak and hypocritical,' said Marlon M., a 47-year-old Democrat from Pennsylvania, who advised his party to 'stop pointing the finger' and follow through on its promises. 'Right now, they have a lack of leadership,' said Jeffrey G. 'There's not one lone voice right now for the Democratic Party.' Some felt that Democrats were not looking out for Black Americans or men. In one panel, all five participants said men do not get a fair shake when Democrats are in charge. And some criticized Democrats for leaning on leaders like former President Barack Obama or celebrities like Cardi B to win their votes. 'They got Obama up here to talk to us men as if he's in control or something,' said Kasheem S., later adding, 'Stop with all the celebrities. ... A lot was spent on celebrities with that campaign and it did nothing for me.' Critical of their own party, the Democratic Trump voters in the group did seem open to supporting Republican candidates other than Trump moving forward. 'I think voting for Trump now has opened my eyes to more consideration on a Republican side, just naturally,' said Denzel B., who said Republicans could win him over by continuing to build on Trump's agenda. Thomas A. said Republicans could win his vote if they prioritize their economic policies and lay out 'how it's going to affect me and my family.' Margaret Talev — director of Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, which leads the focus group project in partnership with Engagious/Sago — told NBC News that the group showed that 'whether their embrace now of President Trump or Elon Musk is strong or conditional, they are united in their mistrust of and disappointment with Democrats as the alternative' and represent the 'deep disillusionment of some male voters of color with the Democratic Party." As Trump has made dismantling federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs an early focus of his administration, the participants were divided along party lines over whether such programs should continue, reflecting the broad partisan polarization over DEI programs in a recent NBC News poll. The four Democrats in the focus groups — Denzel B., Marlon M., Thomas A. and Jeffrey G. — were the only participants to say that DEI programs should continue. 'It may not be perfect, but I think it still has to be something in place to combat discrepancies in the workplace,' said Jeffrey G, who lamented that DEI has been used to question the qualifications of people of color. The rest of the participants said DEI programs should be eliminated. 'Affirmative action never helped me, so I'm cool with not having affirmative action, DEI or any of that,' said Illya M. 'May the best person get the job.' Two participants also used the same analogy to underscore their opposition to DEI programs. 'If I'm in the hospital, I'm having surgery, I don't care if the doctor's Black, white, Indian,' said Garland S. 'I want the best doctor.' The participants also weighed in on Trump suggesting, without offering any evidence or support for that position, that DEI policies were to blame for the deadly midair collision between a plane and an Army helicopter in January. The same participants who supported DEI programs found Trump's comments objectionable, noting the president made those comments without evidence. The other members of the focus groups did not take issue with Trump's suggestion, and one participant sided with the president. 'I wouldn't even be comfortable knowing that they was a DEI hire — I don't wanna be on this plane,' said Illya M. 'So hey, I'm with him 100%.' The participants were also asked about an effort from some Trump allies, including conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, to encourage the president to pardon former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of killing George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020. Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests against racism and a national reckoning over race and policing. Chauvin was sentenced on federal and state charges relating to Floyd's death, and Trump could only offer a pardon relating to the federal charges. (Trump, for his part, told reporters earlier this month that he had not heard about the push to pardon Chauvin.) Several participants said they would be upset if Trump pardoned Chauvin, with Charles B., a 51-year-old Republican from Wake Forest, North Carolina, saying, 'That's a nation that would be pissed.' But a few appeared open to giving Trump the benefit of the doubt. 'OK, I'm upset,' said Joel A., 65, from Pennsylvania. 'But he might know something that I don't know.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
27-03-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Focus group: Black men who backed Trump approve of his presidency — but raise some concerns about DOGE
New conversations with Black men who voted for Donald Trump in swing states in November showed that nearly all of them remain staunchly with him, but his administration's Department of Government Efficiency and his tariffs are potential pain points for the president among his supporters. Some of these men — who participated in a recent focus group observed by NBC News as part of the 2025 Deciders series, produced by Syracuse University and the research firms Engagious and Sago — raised concerns about the speed of the DOGE cuts and billionaire Elon Musk's power, while others backed the department's attempt to address a bloated government. Overall, they remain largely supportive of Trump because they believe he's taken the decisive action he promised on the campaign trail, and 10 of the 12 focus group participants stand by their vote in November, with the remaining two saying they wouldn't vote for Trump again if given a do-over. These Trump-voting Black men, including some who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, also expressed deep frustration with a rudderless Democratic Party, and were divided on the future of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. DOGE cuts break through This group included six independents, four Democrats and two Republicans. Five of these voters — the four Democrats and one independent — said they voted for Biden in 2020 before backing Trump in 2024. Unlike a poll, which uses statistical methods to demonstrate how a larger population feels, the focus groups dig deeper into how individual panelists view key questions facing the country. While 10 of the 12 participants said they approved of Trump's early tenure during his second presidency, the results were far more mixed when it came to Musk and DOGE. Five said they approved of DOGE's actions, three said they disapproved and the rest weren't sure yet. Among those backing DOGE, the spending audits and cuts were seen as bringing a bit of the private sector to government work, aimed at increasing efficiency of employees paid by taxpayer money. 'Every company needs someone to audit them. You shouldn't be an untouchable, you shouldn't be a sacred cow," said Dorris S., a 56-year-old independent from Pennsylvania. "They're there to maximize productivity and efficiency. I used to manage restaurants, we had health inspectors." And Illya M., a 37-year-old from Arizona, said that it's time to turn the tables on the federal government. 'They're forcing us to file our taxes, so we're technically doing an audit, so I think everybody should be audited,' he said. Seven of the 12 participants specifically mentioned the possibility of the Trump administration sending Americans $5,000 checks, with five saying the checks would be funded by DOGE cuts. While Trump and his allies have promoted the idea of sending these 'DOGE dividends,' no decision has been made about whether to do so. The positive sentiment about DOGE was far from universal, and even those who said they supported its efforts weren't necessarily sold on its implementation. Illya M. went on to add that he 'heard they got the numbers wrong at some point,' adding, 'I don't see how this is really going to benefit us on a personal basis.' Among those who disapprove of DOGE's efforts, there were concerns both about Musk's accumulating power and the potential for 'unintended consequences.' 'The volume of the cuts — are there going to be unintended consequences that we didn't see until later down the road?' asked Denzel B., a 37-year-old Democrat from Arizona. Jeffrey G., a 57-year-old Democrat from Georgia who voted for Biden in 2020 before backing Trump this time, lamented how Trump 'should have gone in with a scalpel instead of a blowtorch.' 'Sure, you want to weed out the bad people that probably are bad people, but you want to keep good employees that are there,' he said. Thomas A., a 49-year-old Democrat from Georgia who voted for Biden in 2020 and switched to Trump in 2024, said that while DOGE is doing 'some good,' he's concerned about the power Trump has delegated to Musk. He also wondered if DOGE's work could be antithetical to a push to improve the economy and help everyday Americans. 'He's too focused on cutting the weeds and the clutter, but he needs to focus on the economy and how to help people,' he said of Trump. 'Being enthusiastic about DOGE tracks closely with passion for Trump, but passion for Trump doesn't always translate into enthusiasm for DOGE,' said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the sessions. Grading Trump on the economy Only three out of 12 participants affirmatively said Trump is making battling inflation a top priority, with those who said so largely connecting it to his threats to enact sweeping tariffs or cut government spending. But that focus wasn't a positive for Jeffrey G., who disapproves of Trump and wouldn't vote for him again if he could do the 2024 election over, because he doesn't agree with the president's economic moves. 'His way of fighting inflation, it's going to be a painful process," he said, "by making other countries pay their share of tariffs." Most of the participants, who didn't believe Trump has made fighting inflation a top priority, said they didn't necessarily mind. 'He has his hands in so many different things — I can wait 'til he gets to the six-month point, then I'll start worrying,' said Garland S., a 47-year-old Republican from Michigan. The sentiment meshes with how most of these men view Trump after two months in office, with broad approval of his job performance because they say he's being 'aggressive' in his follow-through after the campaign. 'I expected him to be aggressive in a lot of different areas and he's doing exactly that," said Dorris S. "Every few days, you're hearing something different and you're constantly seeing him at work, working, getting stuff done. So that's why I approve." Tariffs are dividing this group, however. They're particularly concerning to those who aren't fully on board with Trump, such as Denzel B. and Jeffrey G., who both disapprove of Trump after voting for him and both raised concerns about tariffs. But those still on board with Trump largely see the tariffs as the president's way to bludgeon the world economy into submission and, eventually, tackle rising prices at home. 'I did this past four years with this,' Kasheem S., a 38-year-old independent from Pennsylvania, said of inflation. 'If it has to continue on a little bit 'til it balances itself out, then I don't have a problem with that. It's already been going on.' Illya M. said that he is giving Trump a wide berth to deliver on his promises for a similar reason: He sees Trump as someone who's willing to at least try to make change. 'He did a lot of things — whether it actually happens exactly how he wanted it to happen or not, at least he tried and actually did something. So, that's more than I could say about the Democrats, probably ever,' he said. Down on Democrats Other participants shared that sentiment. 'Liars,' 'untrustworthy,' 'ungodly,' 'a weird agenda' and 'weak' were just a few of the words they used to describe the Democratic Party today. Democrats make 'a bunch of false promises,' said Kasheem S. He added that he views the Democratic agenda as an attack on children, saying Democrats are 'not really relatable, just trying to sell a dream that's not the reality.' 'I think it's chaos,' said Antonio W., 47, of Arizona. 'Holding onto the past. They got nothing, to me, to promote to the American public.' The self-described Democrats also had some choice words for their party after splitting with it to vote for Trump last year. 'They're weak and hypocritical,' said Marlon M., a 47-year-old Democrat from Pennsylvania, who advised his party to 'stop pointing the finger' and follow through on its promises. 'Right now, they have a lack of leadership,' said Jeffrey G. 'There's not one lone voice right now for the Democratic Party.' Some felt that Democrats were not looking out for Black Americans or men. In one panel, all five participants said men do not get a fair shake when Democrats are in charge. And some criticized Democrats for leaning on leaders like former President Barack Obama or celebrities like Cardi B to win their votes. 'They got Obama up here to talk to us men as if he's in control or something,' said Kasheem S., later adding, 'Stop with all the celebrities. ... A lot was spent on celebrities with that campaign and it did nothing for me.' Critical of their own party, the Democratic Trump voters in the group did seem open to supporting Republican candidates other than Trump moving forward. 'I think voting for Trump now has opened my eyes to more consideration on a Republican side, just naturally,' said Denzel B., who said Republicans could win him over by continuing to build on Trump's agenda. Thomas A. said Republicans could win his vote if they prioritize their economic policies and lay out 'how it's going to affect me and my family.' Margaret Talev — director of Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, which leads the focus group project in partnership with Engagious/Sago — told NBC News that the group showed that 'whether their embrace now of President Trump or Elon Musk is strong or conditional, they are united in their mistrust of and disappointment with Democrats as the alternative' and represent the 'deep disillusionment of some male voters of color with the Democratic Party." Partisan divides on DEI As Trump has made dismantling federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs an early focus of his administration, the participants were divided along party lines over whether such programs should continue, reflecting the broad partisan polarization over DEI programs in a recent NBC News poll. The four Democrats in the focus groups — Denzel B., Marlon M., Thomas A. and Jeffrey G. — were the only participants to say that DEI programs should continue. 'It may not be perfect, but I think it still has to be something in place to combat discrepancies in the workplace,' said Jeffrey G, who lamented that DEI has been used to question the qualifications of people of color. The rest of the participants said DEI programs should be eliminated. 'Affirmative action never helped me, so I'm cool with not having affirmative action, DEI or any of that,' said Illya M. 'May the best person get the job.' Two participants also used the same analogy to underscore their opposition to DEI programs. 'If I'm in the hospital, I'm having surgery, I don't care if the doctor's Black, white, Indian,' said Garland S. 'I want the best doctor.' The participants also weighed in on Trump suggesting, without offering any evidence or support for that position, that DEI policies were to blame for the deadly midair collision between a plane and an Army helicopter in January. The same participants who supported DEI programs found Trump's comments objectionable, noting the president made those comments without evidence. The other members of the focus groups did not take issue with Trump's suggestion, and one participant sided with the president. 'I wouldn't even be comfortable knowing that they was a DEI hire — I don't wanna be on this plane,' said Illya M. 'So hey, I'm with him 100%.' The participants were also asked about an effort from some Trump allies, including conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, to encourage the president to pardon former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of killing George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020. Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests against racism and a national reckoning over race and policing. Chauvin was sentenced on federal and state charges relating to Floyd's death, and Trump could only offer a pardon relating to the federal charges. (Trump, for his part, told reporters earlier this month that he had not heard about the push to pardon Chauvin.) Several participants said they would be upset if Trump pardoned Chauvin, with Charles B., a 51-year-old Republican from Wake Forest, North Carolina, saying, 'That's a nation that would be pissed.' But a few appeared open to giving Trump the benefit of the doubt. 'OK, I'm upset,' said Joel A., 65, from Pennsylvania. 'But he might know something that I don't know.'
