A core bloc that helped re-elect Donald Trump in 2024 is now flashing warning signs for his presidency.
Healthcare costs, the economy, and immigration raids have helped power the slump seen nine months into Trump’s second term.
Nearly two-thirds of Latinos say it’s a bad time to be Latino or Hispanic in America—a dramatic reversal from just three years ago—according to a new Axios–Ipsos Latino Poll conducted in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.
The survey paints a bleak picture of life for Latino and Hispanic Americans under Trump. Only 31 percent of respondents said it’s a good time to be Latino, compared to 65 percent who said it’s a bad time.
That’s a sharp decline from March 2024, when the split was 55 good–40 bad, and a complete flip from October 2022, when optimism dominated by the same margin.
Latinos were one of several voting blocs that proved decisive for Trump’s victory last year, particularly in Florida, Texas, and Nevada, where small but meaningful swings toward the GOP helped tip key states red. The data shows steep drops in optimism, safety, and belonging—sentiments that could spell trouble for Trump and Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms.
Just 40 percent of respondents said the U.S. makes them feel like they belong, down from 51 percent in March 2024. Forty-four percent believe they can achieve the American Dream, down from 53 percent, and only 36 percent say they feel optimistic about the country’s future, a five-point drop since last year.
The collapse in morale cuts across party lines, but there is still a sharp partisan divide. Sixty-four percent of Latino Republicans still say it’s a good time to be Latino in America. Among independents, that number drops to 30 percent. Only 16 percent of Latino Democrats agree. In March 2024, those numbers were roughly even.
Ipsos vice president Mallory Newall told Axios the findings show “really clear signs that the issues that matter most to this group are not being addressed,” adding that the growing pessimism reflects how “people’s lived experience and outcome on their finances feel increasingly pessimistic.”
Economic anxiety remains the dominant concern. Majorities of respondents named inflation, healthcare costs, and jobs as top priorities, ranking them ahead of immigration or border policies.
Still, Trump’s personal standing among Latinos has not cratered. His favorability sits at 30 percent, barely below 32 percent in March 2024. The Republican Party’s gap with Democrats as the party that “represents people like you” has also narrowed—from 20 points to 12.
