Strategic Use of Social Media and Podcasts in Donald Trump’s 2024 Presidential Campaign

Abstract

This paper examines the strategic use of social media and podcasts in Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, highlighting a digital-first approach that marked a shift from traditional campaign media tactics. By analyzing Trump’s appearances on influential podcasts, such as The Joe Rogan Experience and NELK Boys’ Full Send Podcast, alongside his active presence on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, this study explores how Trump leveraged new media to reach younger and politically disengaged demographics. The research investigates the demographic alignment between podcast audiences and Trump’s target voter base, focusing on younger men who display distrust toward mainstream media and preference for unfiltered, conversational formats. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study integrates quantitative engagement metrics from social media and podcasts with qualitative insights from podcast interview content and public reactions. Comparatively, the paper also examines Kamala Harris’s more limited engagement with new media, reflecting a conservative approach that prioritized traditional media formats. The findings suggest that Trump’s strategy not only increased his favourability among young, independent voters but also demonstrated the efficacy of podcasts as political communication tools in an era of declining trust in traditional media. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of digital media on future political campaigns, emphasizing the potential of podcasts and digital influencers in reshaping political outreach while underscoring the ethical challenges of unfiltered media environments.