A Warning From Inside the Republican Family

Nalin Haley has a message for the Republican Party, and it's not particularly comforting: Fix the economic problems facing young Americans, or watch them flee to socialism in droves.

The 24-year-old conservative activist—son of former GOP presidential contender Nikki Haley—appeared on Fox & Friends Tuesday to deliver what amounts to an intervention. His generation is struggling, he says, and Republicans aren't just ignoring the problem. They're actively making it worse.

The concern? Young voters are increasingly receptive to what Haley calls "Mamdani-Style" socialism, a reference to Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who recently won the New York City mayoral race. And honestly, Haley argues, can you blame them?

"The Democratic Socialists are actually reaching out to young people. If the Republicans do that, which they need to do, it may stop a lot of kids my age from becoming socialists and from going to the Democrats," he explained.

The American Dream Gets More Expensive

Here's the reality check Haley laid out: The American Dream isn't just harder to achieve—it's becoming "less and less attainable" for Gen Z. Recent college graduates face high unemployment rates. First-time homebuyers are getting older because, well, who can afford a house anymore? And job opportunities are squeezed by both foreign workers and the rapid advancement of AI.

Haley didn't mince words about what Republicans need to do differently. The party should prioritize American citizens over illegal immigrants, he said, and start working for average people instead of "elites and corporations."

His assessment of the current trajectory? "We are going in the opposite direction. It's getting worse."

Not Just One Kid's Opinion

Nalin Haley isn't exactly shouting into the void here. His concerns mirror a broader conversation about young Americans' growing disillusionment with capitalism.

Bill Maher recently took aim at Gen Z's embrace of socialism on Real Time With Bill Maher, calling it "understandable, but misguided." Socialism "just doesn't work and has never worked," Maher argued—though he seemed to acknowledge why young people might be tempted.

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has been even more pointed. He's warned that capitalism's failures—particularly around housing affordability—are literally creating socialists. When young people can't afford basic markers of middle-class life, they start questioning whether the system works at all.

And then there's the political reality. President Donald Trump's approval ratings have taken a hit amid soaring prices, while Democrats have found success connecting with young voters on affordability issues in recent elections. The numbers suggest Haley's warnings aren't just theoretical—they're playing out in real time.

Whether Republicans heed the message is another question entirely. But Haley's central point is hard to dismiss: If you want young people to believe in capitalism, it probably helps if capitalism actually works for them.