ANALYSIS — Sitting in a Tesla Cybertruck with music blaring, creating a TikTok with influencer Logan Paul, and having a two-hour-long conversation on X are just some of the recent places Donald Trump can be found trying to appeal to voters this election season.
While the former president has done more than 10 interviews since President Joe Biden left the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on July 21, Trump rarely faces a tough question.
In this time frame, Trump has tended to engage in friendly interviews, especially when talking with nontraditional media, such as podcasts and live streams with influencers. Since June 1, Trump has done at least four interviews with nontraditional media. Trump also participated in a golf challenge with LIV player Bryson DeChambeau on YouTube.
(Roll Call Factba.se considers nontraditional media as anything that’s not a TV, print or radio interview.)
Most recently Trump returned to X, formerly Twitter, for a live conversation with X owner Elon Musk. The week before that Trump appeared on Kick, a live-streaming platform popular for video game streaming, for an interview with Adin Ross, 23, a controversial influencer and streamer who’s previously talked with white supremacist Nick Fuentes on his stream.
Earlier this year, Trump appeared on influencer and wrestler Logan Paul’s Impaulsive Podcast. He also did an interview on the All-In Podcast, which centers around tech topics with four venture capitalists.
(Roll Call Factba.se classifies an interview as any time the presidential candidate answers questions unscripted, no matter the platform or interviewer.)
Trump’s interviews on these nontraditional platforms tend to last longer. Trump’s podcast appearances usually last over an hour while his interviews on Fox News or Newsmax last around 20 minutes or are split into chunks for air.
The interviews usually revolve around Trump’s familiar talking points on immigration and the economy. However, the conversations on these other platforms can also feature friendlier and lighter topics tailored for that specific audience.
During Ross’ interview with Trump on Kick, the former president played a game with the influencer where Trump had to say the first thing that came to mind when he saw a picture of a person.
When talking about the controversial rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, during that game, Trump said, “let’s say complicated because he is. He’s a really nice guy, but he can get himself into trouble and he can get some other people. But, you know, he’s got a — he’s got a good heart.”
The interview with Ross got even more friendly when he urged his viewers, whom he said are a lot of first-time voters, to support the former president in the upcoming election.
“You guys got to really go out there and vote, and vote for the right person, which is him,” Ross said referring to Trump.
Musk reiterated a similar sentiment in his interview with Trump.
“I think, really, it’s essential that you win for the good of the country this election,” Musk said during the conversation on X.
After the live stream with Ross, Trump said in a Truth Social post that his youngest son Barron, 18, introduced him to Ross. Trump continued in that post saying, “Young people are the future of America.” The streamer is popular with young men, a group Trump is trying to reach during the campaign.
“President Trump throughout this campaign has engaged in non-traditional interviews to speak to a wider audience, meanwhile Kamala Harris is ducking the press and refusing to do any interviews or press conferences,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to Roll Call Factba.se.
The GOP presidential candidate ended the interview on Kick with a jam session in a gifted Tesla Cybertruck and a dance party outside of Mar-a-Lago with Ross.
These spots were not Trump’s first foray into such nontraditional venues. Last year, Trump also appeared on the UFC Unfiltered podcast and the Nelk Boys’ Full Send Podcast.
Trump has also ventured into TikTok, reversing his earlier position of calling for it to be banned. For the first time on Saturday, the former president’s rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was livestreamed on his TikTok, as well as his Instagram.
You can view all of Trump’s interview and public appearance transcripts on Roll Call Factba.se, with more coming soon.
Alex Angle is a Roll Call Factba.se presidential campaign research fellow.
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