This weekend, I went to DC to meet all of you. right-wing influencers and the content creators who made it happen of President Donald Trump Can win 2024 They have everywhere.
The 2024 election is influential elections And The inauguration was no different: There were dozens of parties and balls before and after the inauguration this weekend, as well as the big event itself. Theo Von sat in front of Jake and Logan Paul under the Capitol dome (well, until the podcaster's chair collapsed). Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh and Brett Cooper walked the Turning Point USA red carpet and took selfies with fans. Jessica Reed Kraus, who writes the HouseInhabit newsletter, hung out with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Make America Healthy Again ball on Monday night.
In August, I published A guide to Republican and Democratic influencers shaping the 2024 election. Influencers and content creators still play a vital role, and they will inform and guide policy decisions for years to come.
Welcome to Trump 2.0, where these creators not only captivate audiences but also capture the attention of the president. Here are some of the things to watch out for in the next four years.
Podcaster and streamer
The 2024 election is a breakout cycle for podcasters in politics. Most of the shows Trump has participated in serves the manospherea loose network of creators pushing misogynistic, racist, and pro-male ideologies online. This includes people like Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, brothers Paul and Adin Rosswho shared their Trump interview with their millions and millions of fans. There is also a second branch, consisting of creators who consider themselves the intellectual wing of the modern Republican party, such as Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin and Lex Fridman. Fridman's YouTube podcast reaches millions of viewers each week. Shapiro's show is one of the most famous the ones on Spotify.
These podcasts have amplified Trump and his agenda with little, if any, pushback. They will likely be key in rallying support for the Trump administration's decisions.
I spoke briefly with Shapiro on Sunday night, asking what's next for the GOP and podcasting. “The strength continues to increase,” he said. “The old media has been completely blown away. We're focused on expanding, not just our brand but a lot of other brands that need to expand as well, I think this is going to be a very prosperous time for the podcast industry.”
Meme page
DC Draino, typical liberals, raging Americans and snowflakes are some of the largest pro-MAGA meme pages on Instagram. Combined, these accounts have more than 6 million followers. They serve as a bridge between the priorities of GOP leadership and platforms like X and Instagram.
Think of their account as a news aggregator for people who might not otherwise use it.
Organizing Committee
Although the Democratic Party also worked with influencers during the last election cycle, no PAC or campaign organized them as effectively and efficiently as the right. Because of Turning Point USA and its leader, Charlie KirkMany of the GOP's most famous creators meet at least several times a year at the organization's summits and trainings. According to interviews with several leading right-wing organizers, that infrastructure will only grow over the next four years. The organizers themselves have also become notable influencers.
I wrote about an influential party (and victory lap) held over Inauguration weekend that was brought in by CJ Pearson And Raquel Debono. Pearson, a conservative creator with more than 500,000 X followers, co-chairs the Republican National Committee's youth advisory council. He played a key role in engaging influential people in the party and is planning additional training with organizations such as the Heritage Foundation.