In the 2024 election, Barron Trump played a unique and pivotal role in his father’s campaign by guiding him to podcasts popular with young men. At just 18 years old, Barron advised President-elect Donald Trump to focus on podcast appearances rather than traditional news outlets. His understanding of Gen Z’s media preferences helped shape a strategy that contributed to Trump’s success with younger voters.
As a first-time voter and college student, Barron shared insights with his father about how his generation consumes news and entertainment. Instead of turning to mainstream media, Barron explained, young people follow influential podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience and Impaulsive with Logan Paul. Acting on Barron’s advice, Trump’s campaign made podcast appearances a central part of its outreach strategy.
"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
One of Trump’s early podcast appearances was in June on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive, which was viewed by millions. The success of this interview underscored Barron’s influence. Trump even instructed his campaign staff to check with Barron before accepting media invitations, showing his trust in his son’s insights into popular media among young audiences.
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
Trump also appeared on a live Twitch stream with Adin Ross in August, a move that Barron encouraged to reach young voters. During the broadcast, Trump acknowledged Barron’s advice, saying his son had informed him about Ross’s popularity. Barron’s influence continued to guide the campaign’s media approach throughout the election cycle, helping Trump reach a demographic often missed by traditional news.
This focus on podcasts paid off on Election Day, with nearly half of men under 30 voting for Trump—a significant shift from 2020 when younger voters leaned Democratic. Trump also saw record support from Latino men, with 54% casting their votes for him, along with gains among young Black men.
"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 role in shaping his father’s media strategy demonstrates the power of podcasts in reaching new voters. By tapping into Barron’s understanding of Gen Z, Trump’s campaign effectively connected with younger audiences, marking a new approach to political outreach.
