Joyce Kenney says she is even happier with Donald Trump now than when she voted for him in the 2024 election.

“I would gladly vote for him any time,” said the 74-year-old retiree from Prescott Valley, Arizona.

As Trump enters the second year of his presidency, Kenney hopes he continues cutting government waste, reducing costs for senior citizens and deporting criminal immigrants. At the same time, she wants a more compassionate approach towards undocumented migrants who have obeyed the law and built lives in the United States.

“He needs to find a gentler way on the illegal aliens,” she said. “There is a lot of grey in everything. We need to show more humanity.”

Kenney was among 20 Trump voters across the country interviewed by Reuters about their expectations for the year ahead, as the president faces protests over immigration, cost-of-living concerns and diplomatic tensions abroad.

Pressure Builds Ahead of Midterm Elections

With November’s midterm elections approaching, voters said they wanted Trump to deliver visible results to help Republicans retain control of Congress.

Six of the voters voiced almost no criticism of Trump’s presidency so far. Three were deeply dissatisfied, while the remaining respondents expressed mixed views. None said they regretted voting for him.

Most supported policies that have alarmed many Americans, including aggressive immigration enforcement, tariffs on trading partners, cuts to the federal workforce and the dramatic seizure of Venezuela’s president.

However, many said Trump should shift focus towards domestic priorities such as healthcare reform, reducing fraud in public programmes and lowering the national debt.

Fourteen voters criticised his rhetoric about annexing foreign territories and his confrontational use of social media.

“I would like him to focus way more on America,” said Robert Billups, a 34-year-old unemployed accountant from Washington state.

Immigration Reform Tops the Wish List

The clearest demand from Trump voters was for immigration reform that creates a legal pathway for long-term, law-abiding migrants already living in the country.

Juan Rivera, a 26-year-old content creator in California who works on Latino outreach for the Republican Party, said Trump’s failure to pursue reform had been disappointing.

“Latino voters and Asian-American voters voted for him because they wanted immigration reform,” Rivera said. “He wouldn’t have won without them.”

Others echoed that sentiment, arguing that deporting people who have lived peacefully in the U.S. for decades made little sense.

“If they’ve been productive and stayed out of trouble, those are the people we want,” said Brandon Neumeister, a former National Guardsman in Pennsylvania.

Economy, Debt and Trump’s Style

Many voters praised Trump’s tax cuts and deregulation, saying they had improved their personal finances. But concerns remain over ballooning deficits and how future spending increases will be funded.

“Balance the budget and stop the progression of the debt,” said Lesa Sandberg, an accounting business owner in Utah.

Others urged the president to tone down his rhetoric.

“Just chill,” said Terry Alberta, a pilot from Michigan. “Stop getting everyone lathered up.”

Despite frustrations, most said Trump’s assertive style was effective.

“He has a certain arrogance,” said Georgia engineer David Ferguson, “but it works for what he needs to do.”

(With inputs from Reuters)