President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign found a secret weapon in his youngest son, Barron Trump, whose advice helped him reach young voters through popular podcasts. At just 18, Barron used his familiarity with Gen Z’s favorite media platforms to guide his father’s media strategy, proving influential in the campaign’s outreach efforts.
As a first-time voter, Barron advised his father that his generation isn’t tuning in to traditional news networks. Instead, young people prefer podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience and Impaulsive, which have large followings among Gen Z men. With Barron’s guidance, the campaign prioritized these platforms, leading to significant visibility and engagement with younger audiences.
"Did Barron Trump win the election? Double-digit gains in young voters prove Trump's flurry of podcast appearances paid off" – Blaze Media #SmartNews https://t.co/QE9pfIOj4R
— BJ Rodrigue (@rodrigue_bj) November 7, 2024
Trump’s podcast strategy began in June with a high-profile appearance on Logan Paul’s show, Impaulsive. The interview drew millions of views, highlighting the success of this new media approach. Recognizing Barron’s understanding of youth culture, Trump began consulting his son on further podcast appearances, using Barron’s advice to navigate a largely unexplored media landscape for political campaigns.
The election has shown that the future of political campaigning might increasingly lean on influencers, podcasters, and digital media strategists like Barron Trump, rather than solely on traditional media and ground campaigns. #Election2024 #TrumpVictory pic.twitter.com/RJw3t6OaxQ
— Burning Box (@BurningBox04) November 7, 2024
In August, Trump joined Twitch streamer Adin Ross, whose audience includes many young men. Trump acknowledged Barron’s role, sharing with Ross that it was his son who had introduced him to the platform. As the campaign continued, Barron’s guidance became central to the media strategy, reflecting a shift toward alternative channels that resonate with younger voters.
The impact of this approach was evident in Election Day results. Trump garnered nearly half of the votes from men under 30, a demographic Democrats had previously dominated. His campaign also saw significant gains among Latino and Black male voters, with over half of Latino men casting their votes for Trump, marking a historic shift.
"Barron Trump is a very bright 18-year-old who played a big part in his father’s stunning victory". – Nigel Farage MP Leader of Reform UK. MP for Clacton. 🇬🇧
At Mar-A-Lago, waiting for the results of the Presidential Election. pic.twitter.com/QytjXKuhGk
— CR 🌷 (@CarmenInUSA) November 7, 2024
Barron’s understanding of podcast culture and his advice on media engagement helped bring his father’s campaign to a new level, securing the support of young male voters. By tapping into alternative media, Trump’s campaign was able to connect with audiences that traditional channels might have missed, thanks in large part to Barron’s influence.
