Trump’s historic rating with seniors boosted by tax deductions

President Donald Trump's approval rating with seniors is higher than any of his 21st century predecessors at this point in their second term—five points over Barack Obama and 10 points over George W. Bush, according to various polls.

"Seniors are loving me, and I love them," Trump told a packed crowd in Las Vegas Thursday at his "No Tax On Tips" roundtable. 

"Of course, I'm not a senior. I cater to the seniors, but I don't happen to be a senior myself, thank you very much," the 79-year-old joked. 

30 million taxpayers availed themselves of newly-available tax deductions

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Treasury released IRS (Internal Revenue Service) from Americans who have filed their tax returns for 2025, which showed that 53 million Americans were able to take advantage of at least one of the tax deductions available following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). 

Across the broad range of deduction offerings, including Trump's signature "No Tax on Tips" and "No Tax on Overtime", 30 million filers were able to take advantage of the enhanced deductions for seniors, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 

The enhanced deductions were available to those aged 65 and older due to a key provision from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that added up to $6,000 per qualifying individual (or $12,000 for married couples where both spouses meet the age requirement) on top of the existing standard and additional senior deductions. 

This temporary boost, available for tax years 2025 through 2028 and subject to income phase-outs starting at $75,000 modified adjusted gross income for singles ($150,000 for joint filers), allowed many retirees to reduce their taxable income substantially—often resulting in an average deduction exceeding $7,500—without the need to itemize. 

By stacking with the regular standard deductions and the longstanding extra amount for seniors, it provided relief for middle-income older Americans, helping lower tax bills or increase refunds while simplifying filings for those relying primarily on Social Security and modest retirement savings. 

Trump's issue-by-issue appeal to older Americans

Since Trump descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower in June 2015 to declare his presidential candidacy, his appeal to senior voters, a reliably high-turnout bloc, has been defined by a consistent message of economic protectionism, entitlement security, and cultural familiarity that resonated with older Americans wary of globalization, demographic change, and progressive policy shifts. 

In 2016, he captured the senior vote by roughly seven points, touting his business background and ability to restore manufacturing jobs, renegotiate unfair trade deals, and shield Social Security and Medicare from cuts, issues that older voters, many of whom had lived through postwar prosperity, saw as direct threats to their retirement security. 

During his first term and the 2020 campaign, Trump reinforced this bond by touting pre-pandemic economic gains, the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines through Operation Warp Speed, and repeated pledges not to touch entitlements, even as pandemic-related anxieties prompted a modest narrowing of his margin to about five points among seniors. 

By 2024, while support among the oldest cohort edged toward parity in some exit polls amid concerns over inflation and age-related policy debates, Trump actually widened his advantage among the broader 50-to-64 age group and retained overall strength with older voters by emphasizing border security, law-and-order themes, and opposition to policies perceived as eroding traditional American values—sustaining a durable, if gradually evolving, perception that he alone prioritized seniors’ pocketbooks, dignity, and way of life over elite-driven agendas.

Amanda Head is White House Correspondent for Just The News. You can follow her here.