Former President Donald J. Trump recorded a nearly three-hour episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” on Friday, aiming to connect with the show’s predominantly young male audience. During the episode, he discussed various topics, including the potential abolition of the income tax, his views on mixed martial arts fighters, praise for Gen. Robert E. Lee’s military tactics, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life on Mars and other planets.
The conversation featured many familiar themes from Trump’s campaign speeches, yet the podcast presented a unique chance to engage an audience that his campaign is eager to attract. Joe Rogan boasts 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 17.6 million on YouTube, many of whom are young male voters that Trump’s campaign aims to mobilize.
At one moment, Rogan attempted to steer Trump back on track, commenting, “Your weave is getting wide,” referring to Trump’s tendency for long-winded responses, which he has called “the weave.”
Here are six key points from the podcast.
Trump considered the podcast a valuable diversion from his campaign activities.
By choosing to take a break from his campaign to spend hours in Rogan’s studio in Austin, which ultimately postponed his rally in Michigan by several hours, Trump demonstrated his recognition of Rogan’s influence and the significance of his audience.