How Trump Changed the Image of Children About the President: Shocking Consequences for Youth.

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What Does the President Do?

Children are interested in finding out the answer to this question not just in school, but also in everyday life – by listening to adults, watching the news on television or TikTok while fighting on the playground or the bus. My image of political parties was shaped by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Today, a new generation is forming its understanding of the American presidency based on Donald Trump.

Trump has been in the presidency or seeking it for ten years, and his style is markedly different from his predecessors, to say the least. From controlling the funding provided by Congress to posting videos of protests, his actions have changed the image of presidential behavior.

Trump's Influence on Youth

To understand how Trump's style influences the political expression of youth, I interviewed teachers, students, and experts from across the country. Children do not always understand the legal intricacies or the separation of powers, but they are interested in what the president does. The actions of the president influence how youth see their future.

Research shows that Trump's concentration of power might change the youth's understanding of the presidential role, which could have dangerous consequences for the system of checks and balances. However, some voters who were children during Trump's first term have a different perspective – they believe the president should be more popular and consider their needs.

“They should be public servants. I miss when my president knew this,” - said Madalyn Probst, a 20-year-old college student from Florida who volunteers in the state’s Democratic Party.

Many young voters supported Trump in the 2024 election, raising questions about the influence of his presidency on their political views. Experts point out, however, that the situation is complicated – this is confirmed by significant Democratic victories among youth in 2025.

Political polarization has reached youth through political barriers, say teachers and political scientists. Now young Americans want to find a candidate they can trust.

“Generation Z and younger voters will be interested in someone who truly listens to them,” - said Alexandria Davis, a political scientist at the University of Virginia.

How Youth Perceive the Presidency

Children start developing ideas about government from kindergarten, but real understanding usually comes in middle or high school, notes political scientist Christopher Oheda. Many young voters from Generation Z have politically matured during Trump's first term. Now, the new voters from Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024, are receiving their political education during Trump's second term.

The current president is shaping the youth's image of what presidential actions entail. Shari Conditt, a history and government course teacher in Washington, asks her students about their views on the legality of the president’s actions, particularly in the case of deploying the National Guard.

Two federal courts have ruled that this is not legal, and the case is currently under review by the Supreme Court. However, 48.5% of Conditt's students believe this is legally permissible, while only 24.2% disagree. This indicates the impact of Trump’s imagery on youth opinions.

“Growing up under Trump's presidency could give children the impression that the executive can do anything,” - noted Davis.

Children may not learn about the two-party system. “I understood a world where Obama was president, who tried to advance laws amidst significant resistance from the Republican Congress,” - said Davis.

Currently, conservatives control all three branches of government, and young voters do not always learn about the system of checks and balances since all three branches are factually acting under Trump.

Sometimes, political polarization leads children not to want to talk about the president. Conditt's students, who wanted to discuss this for years, now hesitate during such conversations.

“They hesitate almost to talk about some things because they don’t want to hurt anyone,” - said Conditt.

Trump's Influence on the Political Awareness of Youth

College students often have a deeper understanding of the unusual nature of Trump’s presidency. Among the students taught by Davis, there is a feeling that the current presidency does not align with the typical norms.

“When I was little, people said they wanted to be president like Barack Obama. Now you hear more often: 'I just want to be president,'” - remarked Probst.

The president is not a legislator. “They shouldn’t be making laws. They shouldn’t use the presidency at their own discretion,” - Probst added.

Many young people feel disappointed not only by Trump but also by politics in general. Generation Z voters “largely believe neither party listens to them,” - added Davis. “Young voters, especially those of color, feel politically isolated.”

A future candidate must overcome this isolation to win the youth's votes. Generation Z voters are facing fundamental economic challenges: “Will I find a job and be successful in life? Will I start a family?” - noted Davis.

Recommendations for the Future

Youth wants to see a candidate who connects their ideas with their fears. This could be someone younger than the current political leaders, who are not faced with the economic challenges that Generation Z experiences.

Among Davis’s students, Zokhran Mamdani is often cited as an example of a candidate they would like to see. To them, his campaign felt “always close to the community. It seemed sincere and authentic,” - Davis added.

78% of voters aged 18 to 29 supported Mamdani, according to polls that saw young voters contributing to high turnout. Young voters, especially women, helped Democrats win across the nation.

The support for Trump among youth in 2024, along with examples of young political actors supporting racism and antisemitism, helped create the image that Trump’s first term could have shaped a generation turning to radical thinking. However, there is a more complex story: Young people are concerned about their future, disappointed with the political process, but perhaps ready for change.

According to a survey of youth by Harvard in 2025, only 15% of Americans under 30 believe the country is going in the right direction, and less than a third support Trump or a party in Congress.

Probst, in turn, would like to see someone like Governor Andy Beshear from Kentucky as president. “I believe we need to focus on restoring the working class and reducing income inequality in the U.S.,” - she emphasized.

Whoever the next president may be, Probst believes that the president should possess other qualities that stand in contrast to Trump in some way.

“I don’t want them to make impulsive statements or try to isolate groups of people using their personal social media,” - she said. “They are a symbol, and they should represent all Americans, not just those who are comfortable for them.”

What I Read

Children in the Chicago area are experiencing trauma due to ICE patrols and the use of tear gas as part of the Trump administration's “Midway Blitz” operation, say teachers and families. One mother overheard her child telling their dolls: “We have to be good, or ICE will get us.”

Dozens of Head Start kindergartens, including all centers in Little Rock, Arkansas, were closed due to lack of federal funding during the government shutdown. This means that thousands of children may remain without education, food, and therapies that these centers provide.

American children have long been using terms like “satnav” and “petrol” thanks to Peppa Pig. Now it seems a growing number of British children are using American words after watching Netflix and YouTube. Examples include “apartments” and “diapers.”

My oldest child is now independently reading her favorite book Eerie Elementary. We are also excited about a new children’s book Broken, written by X. Fang, who created the perfect We Are Definitely Human.

From the Post

Last month, I wrote about families getting landlines for their children. Reader Kate Elen wrote from Wales expressing surprise “because phone companies here are closing landlines for private customers. We lost ours last year.” Without reliable mobile reception in the countryside, Kate Elen taught her children to use the phone in an elderly neighbor's house in case of an emergency.

Thank you, Kate Elen, and I want to remind you that if you want to share questions or stories or suggest topics for future newsletters, you can contact me.