One-in-four Americans who voted for President Trump in 2024 now regret their choice. More than one-in-five (22%) moms who voted for President Trump now regret their vote compared to just 13% of dads. 

The War with Iran and Rising Prices Fuel Trump Regret

When asked about their Trump regret, many of these moms pointed to the war with Iran and the surge in prices it has caused in their daily lives. In our survey, a majority of moms disapprove of President Trump’s handling of Iran and other foreign policy issues (-30 net approval, 28% approve – 58% disapprove), six points lower than Americans overall (-24 net approval, 34% approve – 58% disapprove). 

Moms also disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living (-61 net approval, 17% approve – 78% disapprove), more so than dads (-35 net approval, 31% approve – 66% disapprove).

• “The biggest thing people talk about are prices. That’s the economy, stupid, as they say. It’s the pocketbook issues. It’s that kind of thing that people discuss. And some people say they keep blaming the war. That is really the biggest thing that I feel is why I regret having voted for him.” – White mom, 47, FL, Trump regretter

• “There’s people I know personally struggling to buy groceries. When you do work, the price that you get paid is not balancing what you’re purchasing, so I just feel like we’re drowning, and it only started when Trump got in office. I was fully a diehard fan of Trump. Now I feel like I regret voting for him.” – White mom, 47, TX, Trump regretter

• “But if you’re looking at the gas prices versus if I’m going to see a nuclear bomb happen, I’m more concerned with my gas prices than I am with the nuclear bomb, to be honest.” – White mom, 47, FL, Trump regretter

These moms are tired of what they view as a corrupt, self-dealing administration.

• “[W]hat we have in this term is a president who is unencumbered by the laws, does not respect our country, is maliciously self-dealing for him and his other interests of his friends, and every single thing that he’s done has been against tradition, against the law.” – White mom, 44, MI, Trump regretter

When asked to give Trump a letter grade for his second term, these moms mostly gave him failing grades.

Cruel Immigration Enforcement Was a Turning Point for Many

This group of moms wants to see immigration enforcement and border security, but described Trump as taking it too far. A majority of moms (-25 net approval, 35% approve – 60% disapprove) disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration issues, net 42 points lower than dads (+17 net approval, 58% approve – 41% disapprove). This was the only focus group of Trump regretters to organically mention the killing of Renee Good, who was a mother herself, multiple times. 

Moms Disapprove of the People Around President Trump

These moms also expressed dislike for Trump’s political allies. In Navigator polling, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kennedy have all been underwater with moms. 

Moms are particularly down on Vance—whom they described as “Trump’s twin,” “compromised,” and “corrupt”—and Hegseth, who one mom said “should have stayed on TV.” 

Trump Regret Does Not Equate to a Vote for Democrats with Many Feeling Ambivalent About Voting or That Their Vote May Not Matter

Regret does not automatically equate to support for Democrats. Some were openly conflicted about who to vote for, or even whether to vote at all, in 2026, and few were predicting their 2028 vote through a Trump lens.

Some are less motivated to vote than others, with more than one mom framing it as a choice between the “lesser of two evils.”

• “I’m also tired of choosing the lesser of two evils instead of choosing someone that I truly have faith in and support.” – White mom, 39, OH, Trump regretter

• “Even though I don’t like him [Democratic candidate for Senate Roy Cooper], he is the lesser of two evils. That’s how I perceive him to be, although I don’t like him. So I’ll probably vote for him. And then the same with the presidency.” – White mom, 43, NC, Trump regretter

Safety and Quality of  the Food They Feed Their Families is Something They Confront Every Day

Shifting topics, when asked generally about health and wellness, moms shared concerns about the safety and quality of the food they’re feeding their families. Most reported spending considerable time researching and planning around food and health.

• “I think about it daily, not only just about health visits, wellness checkups, the ingredients in food, processed food, what we’re feeding them. And to go into a grocery store is overwhelming, not just prices. It’s like I’m almost staying away from the middle of the grocery store and it’s driving me crazy.” – White mom, 47, TX, Trump regretter

• “I’m looking to have my daughter not eat all these processed foods. I refuse to have her do the lunch school food because I don’t think that it’s healthy for her, and she has an autoimmune disease… I think about, how am I going to feed her better? Why did she get an autoimmune disease? It’s all in the food that we’re eating.” –  White mom, 47, FL, Trump regretter

• “[I]f you do want to buy more healthier and pure, if you go to a farmer’s market, it’s like four times the price.” – White mom, 47, TX, Trump regretter

Some, but not all moms, blamed the Trump administration for removing food safety infrastructure.

• “[T]he guardrails for the safety committees has been stripped by, Elon Musk’s DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], and by this administration not really caring. If it’s going to make them money, they’ll take every safety system that is for us. They don’t care.” – White mom, 44, MI, Trump regretter

Others said that someone needs to take on the big food companies at large.

• “I just feel like food is such a business in the US. It’s such a big business… [B]ut I don’t know if you can blame it on an administration or not. … I don’t know what the answer is, but I can’t pinpoint or finger point to Democrat or Republican, but it’s something that needs to be done and taken seriously.” – White mom, 49, OH, Trump regretter

Childcare and Eldercare Are Very Important to Some, While Less of a Priority for Others

Some moms also shared concerns about affording childcare and eldercare. While moms were mixed on whether candidates’ stances on childcare and eldercare would impact their vote, all shared doubts about lawmakers’ ability or willingness to bring down these costs.

• “My daughter’s in fifth grade now, but at the time we were paying $1,200 a month for daycare.” – White mom, 47, FL, Trump regretter

• “[W]hen you talk about senior care, I do some senior care and it’s crazy. My father-in-law right now, he has the means, but he’s spending $15,000 a month on care. He has dementia and he gets top care. It’s not fair for people who don’t have the money to not get top care.” – White female, 49, OH, Trump regretter

Moms Want Elected Leaders to be Responsive and to Deliver 

When asked how these moms would know if a candidate or elected official were fighting for them, responses included effective constituent services, lowering costs, and actually delivering on the issues their constituents care about most. One mom reminded everyone that, “actions speak louder than words.”