In June, former President Donald Trump’s campaign released a TikTok video featuring him and influencer Logan Paul. The video captured the two standing inches apart, glaring at each other, which culminated in a rare moment of laughter from Trump. Both individuals burst into laughter, with Paul exclaiming, “Yo, yo, I’m scared, bro!” and the interaction nearly ended in a hug.
This interaction was intended to promote Trump’s interview on Paul’s podcast and YouTube show. It is part of a broader strategy involving Trump and JD Vance appearing on various podcasts and influencers’ platforms, primarily those with young, male audiences. These conversations are generally friendly and informal, with Trump discussing topics like UFC and boxing.
In one notable interview, Logan Paul asked Trump if he had ever been in a fistfight, to which Trump, after a long pause, responded, “Probably not.” According to the Trump campaign, the goal of this media strategy is to reach as many people as possible, not targeting men specifically. However, the audience demographics seem to suggest otherwise, as young men have shown a significant inclination towards Trump, contributing to a gender gap among young voters. This demographic is notable for its low voting rates, and the campaign appears to be engaging in conversations on popular topics to increase their participation.
Trump and Vance have participated in nine podcasts, with Edison Research providing audience data for seven of them. Six of these podcasts have majority-male listenership, with five having at least three-quarters male audiences, predominantly young. Only one podcast, “Phil in the Blanks” by Doctor Phil McGraw, has a majority female audience.
This approach allows potential young male voters to get a more personal and less news-focused introduction to Trump and Vance through trusted and familiar hosts. For instance, podcaster Theo Von discussed Trump’s late brother Fred and his battle with alcoholism. This conversation was not only a rare, vulnerable moment for Trump but also resonated with Von’s audience, many of whom have personal experiences with similar issues.
These influencers often host long-format shows, lasting roughly an hour or more, where hosts typically do not fact-check or challenge the interviews extensively. Some hosts are even supporters of Trump, such as streamer Adin Ross, who gave Trump a watch and a Tesla Cybertruck. However, there have been instances where Trump and Vance faced tougher scrutiny. For example, during an event, the All In podcast host repeatedly pressed Vance on whether he would have certified the 2020 election results, to which Vance did not give a direct affirmative response.
Eric James Wilson, a Republican strategist specializing in digital communication, explains that this podcast-and-influencer strategy addresses the challenge of reaching people who obtain information from myriad sources. This approach relies on parasocial relationships between the voters and the podcast hosts or YouTubers, leveraging their influence to reach broader audiences.
Shauna Daly, cofounder of the liberal Young Men’s Research Initiative, believes this strategy makes sense as Trump may have reached his ceiling with likely voters, necessitating a change in the electorate. By energizing young male voters, who are historically less likely to vote, Trump could potentially secure a margin of victory.
Recent polls indicate a significant gender gap among young voters, with many young men leaning towards Trump. The objective of these media appearances could be to mobilize non-voting young men to participate in the election. The interview with Logan Paul, which has garnered 6.5 million views on YouTube, exemplifies the potential impact of this strategy if the right viewers in key states are motivated to vote.