They are disappointed and angry at Trump. The president may lose an important group of voters

The generational divide was clearly visible at CPAC, the annual gathering of the conservative voting base. Some young loyal MAGA supporters expressed deep frustration, even anger over the Trump administration's decisions about reigniting the conflict in the Middle East.

After a month of war, Trump's shaky standing among young men threatens to splinter the already fragile Republican Party coalition ahead of a hostile midterm election in November.

Views on war

At the North Texas conference, some participants carried Iranian flags, declaring loyalty to the U.S. mission abroad. Others put on “America First” hats and preached the need for anti-interventionism.

A POLITICO poll this month found that Trump voters overwhelmingly still support him. But men who describe themselves as “MAGA Republicans” and voted for him in 2024 are deeply divided across generations on their trust in the president and their views on war, especially if the American death toll rises.

The contrast was striking, even with the greater margin of error resulting from the smaller sample size. Over 70 percent people over 35 say Trump has a plan — compared to 49 percent people under 35 years of age. A 66 percent majority of older men in the MAGA movement are willing to sacrifice American lives for the United States to achieve its goals in Iran, compared to less than half of younger men in the MAGA movement who express the same opinion. Younger men are also much less likely to say that the war is consistent with MAGA principles and is in the American interest.

“Very frustrated”

– They are very frustrated. They didn't like this war from the beginning, and since it started, the president's constant contradictory messages are simply brutal, brutal to the staff and really make their lives difficult, the interlocutor notes. — He puts his people in a really difficult situationespecially those who have contact with the public.

“What matters most to Americans — including young men — is having a commander in chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe, and that's exactly what President Trump is doing with his ongoing, successful Operation Epic Fury,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.

Part of the intention of CPAC, a landmark grassroots gathering that has been running for more than 50 years, is to whip up conservative sentiment, an especially important mission for party leaders in critical election years.

Elections on the horizon

If Republicans want to prevent Democrats from taking over the House of Representatives this midterm election cycle, they must ensure they do not lose any of the gains they made among key parts of their coalition in 2024: young men.

“We need you,” said former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Whatley, who is running for Senate in North Carolina. — We need every conservative, every Republican, every patriot across the country to focus on two things: mobilize voters and protect the ballot.

Mercedes Schlapp, senior research fellow at the CPAC Foundation, opened Thursday's session by calling on conservatives to remain united. — We cannot divide from within – she warned the participants.

Generation conflict

“A lot of people in the younger generation feel there's just not much hope for the economy,” said a 30-year-old participant who was granted anonymity so he could speak freely about party dynamics.

During conversations on stage and in the hallways, senior participants praised Trump for ending what they called the 47-year conflict in Iran. A panel featuring Iranian women talking about human rights violations was met with loud cheers from the audience. Crowds of mostly older conservatives milled around wearing T-shirts bearing the image of exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi.

Many speakers on stage directly or indirectly criticized online influencers for their opposition to the war. Conservative political commentator Josh Hammer hit out at Carlson and Kelly in particular, calling them “pessimists.”

In his speech, former Florida Republican congressman Matt Gaetz told the audience that “dissent and disagreement must be allowed.” “Tucker Carlson isn't going anywhere,” he added. Gaetz, who resigned in 2024 after Trump briefly nominated him to be attorney general, then warned of the risks of a military occupation in Iran.

— A land invasion of Iran will make our country poorer and less secure, said the 43-year-old. — This means higher gas prices and higher food prices. I'm also not sure we'll end up killing more terrorists than we create.