In Charlotte, young Republicans react to Trump's first six weeks with optimism

The first six weeks of President Trump’s second term have brought a whirlwind of action, including major cuts to the federal workforce, orders that push the bounds of executive power, and shifting foreign policy towards Russia.

How are everyday Republicans in Charlotte reacting?

In the back of Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, some 20 local Republicans sit around a long table, sipping from plastic cups and snacking on nachos and quesadillas.

They’re here for the February meeting of the Mecklenburg County Young Republicans, with guest speaker Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari.

Sipping from a pint of Guinness, Bokhari spoke for about 30 minutes, mostly staying away from national politics and focusing on crime and local Democrat's transit plan.

After the speech, members had a chance to socialize and discuss some of the latest head-spinning developments out of Washington.

'Uprooting is never a pretty thing'

Dewon Hart was the lone Black man in the room. He's a financial advisor in Charlotte, and said he's mostly pleased with how Trump is overhauling the federal government and U.S. foreign policy.

"Uprooting is never a pretty thing for some people," he said, "but it's a results-driven administration so far, and so far, I think they're showing improvement. Can't complain at this point."

He's been watching as Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has fired more than 20,000 probationary federal workers — an estimated 6,000 of them veterans — and laid off another 75,000 workers through buyouts, with promises to keep the cuts coming (Though some cuts have been reversed and others are in limbo, pending legal challenges).

Hart said he feels for those losing their jobs. "I understand the layoffs are massive. It's affecting a lot of families," he said.

At the same time, he said, "private sector layoffs happen pretty often, especially in the last few years, and they've devastated people in the same way."

'This is for the greater good'

Mecklenburg County Republicans might seem like an endangered species. Kamala Harris won two-thirds of the county's votes, nearly all elected officials are Democrats, and Charlotte hasn't had a Republican mayor since Pat McCrory.

But seated in a booth near the back, the club's vice chair, Kyasia Kraft, said she's feeling optimistic about where the country's headed.

"The economy was the number one issue for me," she said. "My husband and I are at a point where we're ready to start trying to have kids. We're trying to look at when we can buy a house in the future, and so getting that and inflation under control was No. 1."

She's also deeply religious and pro-life, and said she's glad Trump signed an order seeking to expand access to in vitro fertilization.

Kraft, a Black woman, works in property management. Her husband is a former park ranger. She said the mass firings — which include some 1,000 national park staffers — have come up in discussion.

"He loves the national parks. He's upset those people are losing their jobs, but at the same time he's like, this is for the greater good," she said.

'I want to see American diplomacy working'

Club Chair Joshua Niday attended the meeting in a blue suit and a bright red tie. Unlike many others here, Niday said he didn't support Trump in the 2024 primary.

"I had concerns about his electability very early on," he said.

He voted for Nikki Haley. After she lost, he switched to Trump.

He said foreign policy and the economy were among his top issues. Right now, he's feeling optimistic about Trump's second term.

"I want to see our debt start to come down. I want to see more peace in the world, so I want to see American diplomacy working. I want to see better trade relationships with Canada, Mexico and even China," he said.

And at the end of the day, he said, his biggest hope is for a stable job that helps him provide for his wife and newborn son.