Donald Trump’s path to the White House was, to say the least, unusual. Throughout his campaign, Trump largely distanced himself from traditional TV programs and local radio shows, opting instead for the internet. This strategy, which included everything from podcast appearances with NFL players to discussing aliens with YouTube wrestler Logan Paul, was unlike anything seen before in political campaigns.
Trump made appearances on numerous podcasts, where he discussed surviving an attempted assassination with a group of comedians from the “Flagrant” podcast. These videos, TikTok posts, and YouTube clips garnered Trump millions of views, creating a direct connection with young American men who engage with content online. Although many analysts had previously believed this group was naturally liberal, young men aged 18 to 29 increasingly turned to Trump, moving rightward by as much as eight percentage points from 2020, according to exit polls.
Trump’s exceptional support among this demographic was the result of years of effort to reach young men consumed by various online content, including jokes, combat sports, stand-up comedy, and online communities often characterized by misogynistic views, known as the “manosphere.”
@theovon 💔 🏥💰 @President Donald J Trump @Bernie Sanders
Influencers and podcast hosts, without film or TV contracts, have managed to attract more followers than many Hollywood stars, thanks to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Some, like Nelk Boys, even supported Trump offline by organizing a $20 million campaign to encourage young men to vote, targeting university students and dorms.
This risky strategy, which spoke more to the audiences of Joe Rogan and Nelk Boys than to viewers of traditional news programs, paid off on Election Day, delivering Trump his first popular vote win.
“Trump finally became who he really is, not the person mainstream media portrayed him to be,” said Aleks Brusevic, a senior advisor to Trump’s campaign. “This was a huge victory for us.”
Trump, now the oldest elected president in U.S. history, managed to adapt his long-standing experience as a TV personality to new forms of communication—live interviews on platform X, three-hour podcasts, and viral TikTok videos. These tactics helped reconnect Trump with voters who remember him from his time at the center of attention during his TV days.
These young men, isolated during the pandemic, turned to podcasts and influencers to cope with stress, says John Della Volpe, director of research at Harvard Kennedy School. For them, Trump is more of an antihero than a villain.
Trump’s significant success among young men reflects his ability to channel growing anger over their economic and cultural status in a society where women are more educated and have more professional opportunities. Hasan Piker, one of the most prominent left-wing internet streamers, said: “Trump is the best at saying: ‘You’re right to be angry, and I’ll tell you exactly why you should be angry.’”
Young men were ready to hear this message, and Trump found his support not only in influencers but also in athletes, who increasingly became key carriers of his political message.
