“Making big moves or moving too fast? Trump voters weigh in after 100 days.”

When Donald Trump staged his historic comeback earlier this year, it was fueled by a diverse coalition — including truck drivers, veterans, business owners, and more.Their varied backgrounds offered insight into Trump’s lasting popularity.

But now, 100 days into his new term, how do his most loyal supporters feel? The BBC checked back in with five of them to hear their thoughts on the promises he’s fulfilled, the ones still pending, and what they’re hoping for next.

Luiz Oliveira admits he’s “struggling to keep up” with the whirlwind of policy changes Trump has rolled out in his first 100 days.

On immigration, Luiz welcomes the wave of new border restrictions and tougher deportation measures, including sending detainees to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador. Encounters between migrants and US border agents along the southern border have now dropped to a four-year low.

As a Brazilian immigrant who came to the US legally in the 1980s and now calls Nevada home, Luiz feels strongly about the issue. Like Trump, he sees the recent surge in migration as an “invasion.”

At 65, Luiz says Trump is sending a clear message to undocumented immigrants: “This is my house, my yard — you’re not staying here.”

But when it comes to other areas, Luiz is more cautious.

The coffee shop owner backs Trump’s push to make other nations pay “their fair share” through tariffs. Still, he’s concerned about the short-term economic fallout and how long it might take for America to reap the rewards.

“It’s going to hurt,” he says. “And I don’t think the turnaround will be as quick as he claims.

“I’m a supporter, but if this doesn’t work, I’ll call it a mistake — that he moved too fast, rattled the markets, and shook the economy.”

Amanda Sue Mathis threw her support behind Trump in 2024 because she believed he was the right choice to tackle the nation’s biggest challenges — and 100 days in, she feels he’s off to a strong start.

“There’s been a lot of focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, but I think it’s time we take care of our own country before trying to solve other nations’ problems,” says the 34-year-old Navy veteran.

She advocates for a “merit-based society” and applauds Trump’s rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, which had aimed to boost minority representation and address systemic discrimination.

Critics argue those measures created new inequalities — and Amanda Sue believes they had gone too far in recent years.

She also supports Trump’s executive actions limiting gender-related medical care for minors and banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports.

Overall, she thinks Trump is “kicking butt” and says his first 100 days have only strengthened her confidence in her vote.

Still, Amanda Sue remains open-minded.

“I’m not someone who blindly supports Trump,” she says. “If he screws up, I’ll be the first to call him out.”

Trusting Trump Through the ‘Temporary Pain’ of Tariffs

Jeremy Stevens has been a loyal supporter of Trump for years, standing by him through the ups and downs.

“[Trump is] aggressively following through on the promises he made during his campaign,” Jeremy says.

At his auto repair and used car business in Maine, Jeremy hears mixed reactions from customers about Trump’s economic policies. But the 45-year-old believes much of the concern — especially over tariffs — stems from “a lack of understanding.”

Jeremy sees the tariffs as part of a bigger strategy that will pay off in time, if critics are patient.

“There’s a lot of short-sighted thinking when it comes to the effects of these policies,” he says.

Economists warn that Trump’s shifting stance on tariffs has already caused turbulence. Global markets have been shaken, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its global growth forecast, and the US has taken a hard hit — with a 40% chance of a recession now on the table.

Even so, Jeremy remains confident that Trump’s strategy will succeed in the long run.

“It’s just temporary pain,” he says. “This too shall pass.”

 

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