Trump Turns against His Supporters

Donald Trumps recent move to threaten the denaturalization of U.S. citizens born abroad represents a direct attack on human rights and the principles of American democracy. This decision also undermines the trust of the six million naturalized Americans who cast their ballots for him in the previous electionwithout whom he would not hold the presidency. Should they withdraw their support, it could jeopardize the Republican Partys hold on power.

Trumps 2024 victory was notably influenced by shifts among nonwhite voters compared to 2020. According to Pew Research, black, Latino, and Asian-American voters leaned toward Trump by 16, 22, and 23 percentage points, respectively. CNNs exit polls found similar trends: slight decreases among Black voters, but gains of 12 points among Asian Americans and 27 points among Latinos. APs VoteCast also showed 16-point gains among Black and Latino voters. While numbers vary, the consensus is clear: Trump performed better with these demographics than in the previous election.

Pews data offers an even sharper insight by examining naturalized citizens specifically. Among white, Asian, and Latino naturalized voters, support for Trump increased by 31, 25, and 22 points. These shifts were driven less by voters changing their preferences and more by turnout patterns. Two-thirds of naturalized citizens who voted in 2020 but not in 2024 had supported Biden, while many new voters in 2024 backed Trump.

Naturalized voters, representing 9% of the 2024 electorate, swung toward Trump by 17 points between the two elections. That shift equates to over 1.5% of the total votethe margin by which Trump won the popular vote. There is a strong argument that naturalized Americans played a decisive role in his re-election. Yet, his current policiesincluding deportation efforts, halting immigration from nineteen countries, suspending asylum applications, and threatening citizenship revocationbetray those very voters.

The consequences of this betrayal are already emerging. Although post-2024 voting data for naturalized citizens is limited, 2025 state election results reveal a backlash among nonwhite voters. In Virginia, Black and Latino voters moved 13 and 15 points away from Republicans, bolstering Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger. In New Jersey, these groups shifted even more strongly toward Democrat Mikie Sherrill, by 28 and 24 points, respectively. Asian Americans in Virginia also favored Spanberger by 26 points more than the 2021 Democratic nominee had done.

These trends had a decisive impact. Republicans secured the white vote in both gubernatorial elections, but nonwhite voters, making up roughly 30% of the electorate, swung heavily against the GOP14 points in Virginia and 22 points in New Jerseyleading to substantial losses even in states previously won by Republicans.

If Trump intends to strip naturalized Americans of citizenship, time is short. The growing backlash from nonwhite voters has already cost the GOP key governorships. Should naturalized supporters turn away in future elections, the party faces even greater risks.

Sources:

• Trump Bites the Hand That Voted for Him