“My Dad’s Gay Now”: 12 People Share What Made Their Parents Realize Voting For Donald Trump Was A Mistake

3.

“My 92-year-old dad has always leaned right in his politics and usually voted Republican. When Trump came on the scene, he thought it was just a publicity stunt. He never liked Trump but thought he would make a good president because he was a ‘good businessman.’ He voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020.”

“During the 2024 election season, he heard me rant about Trump’s criminality, his horrible treatment of women and people of color, and his overall lack of morality. I was deeply disappointed to think he would still vote for Trump in 2024 and struggled with my feelings toward my dad, who’s a decent man that I love so much. But who would vote for a nightmare of a human being like Trump? 

After the election, I had to avoid talking to my dad for a few days because I was so angry. The first time I saw him after the election, he asked how I felt about it. I told him I was very angry at people who voted for Trump and didn’t want to talk about it. He was silent momentarily and then asked, ‘Would it make you feel better to know that I didn’t vote for him?’ I was incredulous. He continued, ‘I thought about it a lot and finally decided that my daughter is one of the smartest people I know, and if she thinks he’s a terrible person who will be a terrible president, I trust her judgment.’

I started crying and told him he just gave me the best present ever. I could love my dad fully without being angry at him. It was such a huge weight lifted from me. He also made me promise not to tell my two MAGA brothers that he didn’t vote for Trump.”

—Anonymous