Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes

Episode: "Where Did the Campus Protests Go in Trump 2.0?"

Date: April 18, 2026
Host: Rachel Janfaza (Bulwark)
Guest: Lauren Egan (Opposition Newsletter writer)

Overview

This episode explores the sudden, conspicuous absence of campus protests in the early months of Trump’s second presidential term, contrasting the current silence with the eruption of activism during the Biden administration. Rachel Janfaza interviews Lauren Egan, who provides insights based on her reporting, conversations with activists and Democratic officials, and analysis of generational shifts in youth engagement. The discussion delves into changes in campus activism culture, the impact of policy and punitive threats, and broader trends among Gen Z voters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Disappearance of Campus Protests Under Trump 2.0

• Dominance of Protests During Biden Era (01:56)

  • Egan recounts constant disruptions at Biden and Harris events by pro-Palestine protesters, highlighting how dominant youth activism became during the Biden administration, especially surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict—culminating in university shutdowns and national headlines.
  • Quote: “[Protesters] would just interrupt [Biden/Harris] no matter where they went...they followed Biden and Harris around wherever they went...it was a huge stressor.” – Lauren Egan (02:08)

• Contrast Under Trump (03:20)

  • Despite controversial moves like an unauthorized war in Iran and civilian casualties, campuses remain largely quiet.
  • Quote: "Trump’s launching this war in Iran...and I was struck by how quiet campuses seemed...the pro Palestine protesters were not commanding media attention in the same way." – Lauren Egan (03:24)

2. Generational Shifts and “Two Gen Zs”

• Defining Gen Z 1.0 vs. 2.0 (04:14)

  • Janfaza discusses a split:
    • Gen Z 1.0: Graduated high school before COVID; led early activism waves (climate strikes, March for Our Lives, BLM).
    • Gen Z 2.0: Graduated during/after COVID; less activist, more skeptical.
  • Quote: "I talk a lot about the two Gen Zs...Gen Z 1.0 is anyone who had graduated...before the start of the Pandemic...Gen Z 2.0 is anyone who had graduated during or after." – Rachel Janfaza (04:44)

• Cultural Fatigue and Risk Calculus (06:47)

  • Changes in campus protest rules post-2023 (no tents; noise restrictions).
  • Trump era brings threats of crackdowns, federal funding loss, and actual violence (e.g., after Charlie Kirk’s assassination).
  • Activists feel protests have more sway with Democrats, less effect on Republicans, contributing to disengagement.

3. Disillusionment and “What’s the Point?”

• Perceived Ineffectiveness (08:34)

  • Students question the value of protesting, seeing little progress on climate, gun violence, racism, or U.S. policy on Israel.
  • Quote: “They look at the efforts of prior activists...and they’re like, where did it get us?...the activism hasn’t necessarily led to much substantial material change.” – Rachel Janfaza (08:38)

• Democrats' Frustration (09:49)

  • Even after campus divestment activism, “Harris lost,” and major party figures did not adopt protesters’ policy demands.

4. Youth Political Behavior: From Activism to Voting

• Less Tribal, More Issue-Oriented and Independent (10:52)

  • Gen Z voters today are less likely to protest for a “laundry list of causes,” more likely to swing between candidates, and increasingly eschew party labels.
  • Quote: “There's an argument to be made here that this generation is just more independent now than it was...they’re not as tribal...now that's just not the case.” – Rachel Janfaza (10:52)

• Voting Numbers Remain High (15:12)

  • Despite disappearing protests, youth voter turnout increased in several 2025 elections compared to earlier years, indicating sustained civic participation.

• Social Media and “Instant Gratification” (15:31)

  • The fast pace of internet culture and expectations for instant results may well make traditional activism less appealing or satisfying for Gen Z 2.0.

5. Age Shift in Protest Participation

• Older Crowd at Protests (13:33)
  • “No Kings” rallies are designed to be less frequent and more impactful, but skew older demographically.
  • Quote: “If you go out there and you are reporting, you do notice that it is a pretty old crowd...the stats just show it is still a really old, old demographic.” – Lauren Egan (13:47)
  • Factors: exhaustion, changes in strategic focus, generational perception that protests are now “what your parents do.”

6. Burnout, Strategic Shifts, and Future Mobilization

• Movement Fatigue (18:09)

  • After a decade of “anti-Trump resistance,” there’s exhaustion across the activist left.
  • “No Kings” intentionally limits demands on participants to prevent burnout.

• Desire for Post-Trump Politics (19:04)

  • Younger voters across the spectrum express fatigue with Trump-centric discourse and seek a forward-looking political vision.

• Strategic Big Tent Approach (20:10)

  • Progressive organizers try to build coalitions spanning blue and red areas and including disaffected Trump voters, aiming for electoral results, though translating protest energy into measurable outcomes remains a major challenge.

7. Electoral Implications and Democratic Strategy

• Balancing Base and Electability (22:44)

  • Democratic voters value “fighters,” but electability remains paramount—mirroring the calculus that made Biden nominee over more ideologically driven candidates.
  • Quote: “Democratic voters really want a fighter...but they also want to win.” – Lauren Egan (22:49)

• Hopeful, Energetic Leaders Still Sought (24:29)

  • Citing figures like Zoran Mamdani, Janfaza underscores that charisma and hopefulness can succeed, but must be paired with a willingness to fight and take on hard issues.
  • Quote: “Any voter, young people in particular...wants there to be, yes, someone who is bringing new energy, someone who is hopeful...but at the same time, they have to...be a fighter.” – Rachel Janfaza (25:07)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On the Absurdity of the Shift in Activism:

  • “Democrats in the White House...dealt with [protests] nonstop. And now...Republicans are in office, and like, why aren't people making a big deal about this?”
    – Lauren Egan (03:09)

• On Gen Z’s Relationship to Protest:

  • “Where did it get us?...They feel a little bit numb...and it’s not as motivating now as it was also, because a lot of these issues have been going on for so long.”
    – Rachel Janfaza (08:41)

• On Youth Turnout, Not Activism:

  • “They're actually still turning out to vote in really high numbers...if you look at the local elections in 2025...there was higher youth voter turnout across the board.”
    – Rachel Janfaza (15:39)

• On Exhaustion:

  • “There’s just an exhaustion...that’s a really long time to ask people to sustain the same amount...of outrage and the same amount of energy.”
    – Lauren Egan (18:09)

• On What Voters Want:

  • “They have to be...a fighter. They have to have teeth, they have to be willing to stand up.”
    – Rachel Janfaza (25:07)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic | |---|---| | 01:30 | Episode introduction, context for Egan’s reporting | | 01:56 | Biden era, dominance of campus protests | | 03:24 | Trump 2.0—campus response (or lack thereof) to new wars | | 04:14 | Gen Z activism theory—Gen Z 1.0 vs. 2.0 | | 06:47 | Policy, rules, risk increasing under Trump; impact on campus | | 08:34 | Cultural shift, “what’s the point” attitude among Gen Z 2.0 | | 09:49 | Disillusionment with results of protests | | 10:52 | Gen Z: less tribal, more independent voters | | 13:33 | Age breakdown at "No Kings" protests; strategic shift | | 15:12 | Voting vs. protesting; turnout evidence | | 17:19 | Perceived shift—older generations at protests | | 18:09 | Discussion of activist burnout and left exhaustion | | 19:04 | Desire for post-Trump vision in politics | | 20:10 | Big tent organizing; challenge of translating activism into electoral gains | | 22:44 | Strategic tensions: base mobilization vs. expanding tent; winning as priority | | 24:29 | Hopeful, energetic candidates: what voters seek now |

Tone

The conversation is analytical, at times dispirited but ultimately practical—balancing reporting's realism with an underlying optimism about youth political power, albeit in evolving forms. Both speakers adopt a candid, at times exasperated, but always constructive tone as they probe both the external obstacles (rules, risk, crackdown) and cultural, generational explanations for the changes.

Final Takeaways

• The campus protest energy of the late Biden era has dissipated under Trump 2.0, due to policy changes, heightened risk, generational attitudes, and widespread fatigue.
• Gen Z voter participation remains robust even as their appetite for disruptive protest wanes—suggesting changing, not declining, political influence.
• Democrats face a strategic challenge in harnessing this new mode of engagement, needing to balance hope, electability, and coalition-building to maintain momentum through the midterms and beyond.