Study Links Trump Support to Racial Insecurity Among White Americans

Research finds white people who feel they rank lowest in racial economic hierarchy most likely to back Trump and oppose DEI programs.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A new study published in the journal Advances in Psychology suggests that white people who personally perceive themselves as ranking at the bottom of the racial economic hierarchy or 'tied' with Black Americans were the most likely to support former President Donald Trump. The researchers found this 'last place' profile was not driven by actual poverty, but rather a sense of personal insecurity and status anxiety, leading to support for Trump and opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Why it matters

This research provides insight into the psychological drivers behind the extreme political views and anti-democratic tendencies exhibited by some Trump supporters, which have raised concerns about the compatibility of such attitudes with core American values.

The details

The study, conducted by researchers at Colgate University and the University of Virginia, used a 'Perceived Self-Group Hierarchy' tool to assess participants' personal status relative to racial groups. They found that white Americans who placed themselves at the 'last place' on this status ladder were the most likely to support Trump, oppose DEI programs, and align with alt-right ideologies - even when controlling for actual income and education levels.

  • The study was published in the journal Advances in Psychology in February 2026.

The players

Erin Cooley

Associate professor of psychology at Colgate University and co-author of the study.

Jazmin Brown-Iannuzzi

Associate professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and co-author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“This line of research was motivated by recent political trends among some white Americans, including support for DEI bans, alignment with alt-right ideology, and endorsement of political violence in pursuit of political goals (e.g., January 6th).”

— Erin Cooley and Jazmin Brown-Iannuzzi, Study authors (Advances in Psychology)

“We … [expected] a subset of non-Hispanic, white Americans who feel 'last place.' That said, we expected this profile to be more likely among working class individuals. However, perceiving oneself to be 'last place' was not associated with the lowest objective income nor the lowest objective education among the White Americans in our samples.”

— Erin Cooley, Associate professor of psychology, Colgate University (PsyPost)

What’s next

The researchers plan to further investigate how this sense of racial insecurity and status anxiety among some white Americans may be contributing to the rise of anti-democratic political movements and ideologies.

The takeaway

This study suggests that the extreme political views and behaviors exhibited by certain Trump supporters are driven more by a psychological need to maintain a sense of racial dominance and status, rather than by actual economic hardship. Understanding these underlying motivations is crucial for addressing the threat such attitudes pose to democratic norms and institutions.