Kawashima-Ginsberg said young people, more than older voters, often trust people they trust in their communities. This may help explain the influence of internet personalities like Rogan, who interviewed Trump for his podcast and endorsed him on the eve of the election. “The Joe Rogan Experience” is the most popular podcast in the United States. Data from Edison Research56% of its listeners are between the ages of 18-34. According to YouGovand 81% are male. Other prominent male influencers who support Trump, such as former boxer-turned-YouTube Jake Paul, also have demographics that vary between young and male.

“If you’re a Joe Rogan listener and you’re inspired by the interview and you want to talk about it with others, it’s going to have a real impact,” Kawashima-Ginsberg said.

Another important factor that motivated young people this year was: economy.Researchers noted this trend months before the election, noting that voters under 30 are financially strapped, uncertain about their future, and driven by concerns about pocket money rather than the future of democracy or even seemingly more distant issues like abortion and immigration. .

This turned out to be the case.

NBC News exit polls showed the economy ranked as the most important issue among young voters, with 78 percent of those who chose it as the most important issue voting for Trump to Harris’ 21 percent.

“Every candidate and party had the opportunity to really listen to young voters and hear what they really want,” Kawashima-Ginsberg said. “In this case, a candidate reached out to them on the economy.”

Monday, NBC News I talked to A few voters coming to Pennsylvania for the first time and planning to vote for Trump. All cited economics as their primary motivation.

Ryan Jones, 21, said he was a fan of Trump’s proposal for no tax tips or overtime. Jones said he worked jobs where his income was based on tips, and he would have been able to save more money for college if those policies had been in place at the time. “People cannot afford to live. People can’t afford to buy gasoline. People don’t have money for food. People can’t pay the rent. “The cost of living has gone up in the last four years, and I think everyone here is a victim of that,” said Jaiveer Bajwa, 19, of Pennsylvania.

When Trump was president, “prices were a lot lower, especially for homebuyers, and that’s a big problem for me,” said 18-year-old Kaeli Bennet.

Trump’s appearances on popular podcasts consumed mostly by young male audiences may have increased his appeal to this demographic. Trump, his 18-year-old son Barron Trump, called him to come forward on Rogan’s show.

“I think it helped that he followed Joe Rogan’s podcast, and I remember him saying he actually got advice from his son Barron, because Barron knows what young men like, right?” Angel Sobolewski, a 21-year-old from Ohio, told NBC News by phone on Wednesday. He said he voted for Trump.

In addition to Rogan’s podcast, Trump also appeared on “Last Weekend with Theo Von,” which garnered 14 million views. YouTube. On the podcast, Trump seemed impressed by Von, who often focuses on comedy and culture.

“Is cocaine more powerful? So you’re way up there on cocaine – higher than anything else you can think of?” Trump asked Von.

Watched mostly by Von’s young, white, male demographic, these clips seemed not only funny but also humanizing when it came to Trump.

Harris also noted that Alex Cooper’s “Call His FatherThere are millions of them audience, especially women.

When President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid in July and quickly endorsed Harris, Harris became the subject of much criticism. memesincluding prominent “Brat” summer trend.

he took it too approves From organizations like Gen Z for Change, an activist group that has been mobilizing young voters since 2016.

While some have praised his strategy (several of his appearance clips have gone viral), his outreach efforts don’t appear to be giving him a boost at the ballot box with young voters turning out.

In the end, Trump’s support eclipsed Harris’s.

Anil Cacodcar, student president of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, said Trump has successfully engaged young men, especially on college campuses, who are attracted to Rogan, Von and other right-leaning hosts. Many of these men feel excluded from economic opportunities.

“Trump’s message to young men is very simple: You have been wronged by the Biden/Harris administration because their economy is imposing so many taxes on you, you are not making as much money as you did before the pandemic,” Cacodcar said. in question. “And he used podcasts to put forward this policy vision.”