How Trump is working to secure the 'bro' vote
The article explores the challenge of motivating young men to participate in the electoral process. It examines various strategies and initiatives aimed at increasing voter turnout among this demographic, highlighting potential barriers and effective approaches. Ultimately, the piece poses the critical question: But can he get young men to vote?
TroibNews 
Donald Trump is seeking to overcome a significant gender gap, particularly with women, by focusing on the support of young men to boost his chances of winning the White House. He is receiving help from a group of pro-Trump millennial pranksters who are leveraging college football tailgates, dating platforms like Tinder, and even the "Hawk Tuah Girl" podcast to reach this demographic.
The Nelk Boys, known for their digital content and the popular "Full Send" podcast, are organizing a substantial voter registration effort that aims to mobilize young men. They plan to conduct voter sign-ups at the upcoming “Send the Vote” music festival, featuring pro-Trump rapper Waka Flocka Flame, as well as at two Penn State football games. In addition, they will promote the drive on dating apps and well-known male-focused podcasts, including “Kill Tony,” “MrBallen,” and “BS w/ Jake Paul.”
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the former president to galvanize young male voters, a key demographic for his campaign, especially in light of the likely strong support for Kamala Harris from young women. However, Trump’s operation faces challenges in ensuring these voters turn out at the polls. "The question is, will that podcast fan, that College GameDay fan, that USC fan, will they actually get up on November 5th and go and vote?" asked John Shahidi, president of Full Send and co-founder of Send the Vote. “That's the big question right now that we want to start emphasizing on and putting pressure on.”
One promotional effort is set to air on a podcast hosted by Haliey Welch, who gained notoriety online for her explicit content. In the midst of football season, the Nelk Boys are also looking into advertising on sports betting websites.
By connecting with young men, many of whom grew up during his administration, Trump is tapping into a goodwill reservoir from a demographic he aims to win over. There are signs that this strategy is making headway, as indicated by a recent Harvard Youth Poll revealing that 35 percent of men aged 18 to 24 expressed support for Trump, reflecting a 5 percent increase from the 2020 election.
Trump's engagement with "bro" culture took shape following the 2020 election and the events of January 6, when he faced alienation from the political elite. His team aimed to reshape his image as a pop culture icon, reintroducing him in non-political contexts, and showcasing him in various entertainment settings. Notably, in July 2021, he attended a UFC match in Las Vegas, and later that year, he provided guest commentary alongside his son, Don Jr., for a boxing match.
Sports have become a central theme in Trump’s campaign. He received enthusiastic receptions at events such as the college wrestling championships in March 2023, which coincided with the announcement of his anticipated indictment, and during a visit to Iowa State University, where he interacted with students before a key football game. The Republican National Convention also spotlighted many sports figures, including former wrestler Hulk Hogan.
As the campaign has progressed, Trump has increasingly appeared on male-centric podcasts, featuring shows hosted by Lex Fridman and Adin Ross, the popular and sometimes controversial 23-year-old streamer. In addition to targeting male listeners with commercials, his campaign aired an advertisement during a notable Alabama-Georgia football game that criticized Harris's previous support for government-funded transgender surgeries, a message aimed at appealing to anti-woke sentiment.
In alignment with this outreach, Trump’s broader operation has engaged in similar efforts. Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, attended a college football game in North Carolina and is planning to be at a NASCAR event soon. Meanwhile, MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, released a memo detailing plans for heavy advertising during live sports events, including the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube.
The Nelk Boys play a crucial role in Trump’s strategy to attract young male voters. Their relationship with Trump began in 2020 when UFC executive Dana White facilitated their first meeting with him aboard Air Force One. In March 2022, Trump participated in an interview with the "Full Send" podcast, discussing a variety of personal interests.
Initially, their partnership seemed unconventional; some Nelk Boys arrived at their first interview at Mar-a-Lago dressed in casual hoodies. However, they won Trump over when they refused YouTube's request to edit out his claims regarding the 2020 election from their interview. Following this, their bond strengthened as they interacted at various UFC events, and they conducted a follow-up interview with Trump in April 2023, where they presented him with a used Joe DiMaggio baseball bat. Another interview is slated for later this week, and the group has also engaged with Vance.
As Trump's strategists noticed a shift toward conservatism among young men, they sought to formally integrate Full Send into the campaign. This summer, Trump advisor Taylor Budowich and Shahidi co-founded Send the Vote to encourage young Trump supporters to register. Although the non-profit's mission appears nonpartisan, Full Send's affiliation with Trump is obvious, as seen in a video where a Nelk Boy destroys a TV showing a Harris interview, stating: “Kamala Harris will never be my president.” In another prank, they placed Harris yard signs in front of a Trump supporter’s home.
Send the Vote has also partnered with Old Row, a group popular among college fraternities that has been instrumental in promoting Trump. Old Row features a merch store with items like a Trump “legend” T-shirt and a cap that reads, “I didn’t have sex with a porn star,” referencing Trump's denial of an affair during a debate with President Joe Biden. As part of a new initiative, buyers of Old Row merchandise will receive flyers about how to register to vote.
The ongoing challenge for organizers is to motivate these young men, fond of wearing "Free Trump" T-shirts, to register and participate in the upcoming election. "This younger generation, especially the 18 to 22 year old, thinks posting a video about [Trump] and how much they love him and how funny this was or how he nails this policy and he speaks on this policy properly ... thinks that's enough," Shahidi noted. "And it's not. You still need to vote.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
The Nelk Boys, known for their digital content and the popular "Full Send" podcast, are organizing a substantial voter registration effort that aims to mobilize young men. They plan to conduct voter sign-ups at the upcoming “Send the Vote” music festival, featuring pro-Trump rapper Waka Flocka Flame, as well as at two Penn State football games. In addition, they will promote the drive on dating apps and well-known male-focused podcasts, including “Kill Tony,” “MrBallen,” and “BS w/ Jake Paul.”
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the former president to galvanize young male voters, a key demographic for his campaign, especially in light of the likely strong support for Kamala Harris from young women. However, Trump’s operation faces challenges in ensuring these voters turn out at the polls. "The question is, will that podcast fan, that College GameDay fan, that USC fan, will they actually get up on November 5th and go and vote?" asked John Shahidi, president of Full Send and co-founder of Send the Vote. “That's the big question right now that we want to start emphasizing on and putting pressure on.”
One promotional effort is set to air on a podcast hosted by Haliey Welch, who gained notoriety online for her explicit content. In the midst of football season, the Nelk Boys are also looking into advertising on sports betting websites.
By connecting with young men, many of whom grew up during his administration, Trump is tapping into a goodwill reservoir from a demographic he aims to win over. There are signs that this strategy is making headway, as indicated by a recent Harvard Youth Poll revealing that 35 percent of men aged 18 to 24 expressed support for Trump, reflecting a 5 percent increase from the 2020 election.
Trump's engagement with "bro" culture took shape following the 2020 election and the events of January 6, when he faced alienation from the political elite. His team aimed to reshape his image as a pop culture icon, reintroducing him in non-political contexts, and showcasing him in various entertainment settings. Notably, in July 2021, he attended a UFC match in Las Vegas, and later that year, he provided guest commentary alongside his son, Don Jr., for a boxing match.
Sports have become a central theme in Trump’s campaign. He received enthusiastic receptions at events such as the college wrestling championships in March 2023, which coincided with the announcement of his anticipated indictment, and during a visit to Iowa State University, where he interacted with students before a key football game. The Republican National Convention also spotlighted many sports figures, including former wrestler Hulk Hogan.
As the campaign has progressed, Trump has increasingly appeared on male-centric podcasts, featuring shows hosted by Lex Fridman and Adin Ross, the popular and sometimes controversial 23-year-old streamer. In addition to targeting male listeners with commercials, his campaign aired an advertisement during a notable Alabama-Georgia football game that criticized Harris's previous support for government-funded transgender surgeries, a message aimed at appealing to anti-woke sentiment.
In alignment with this outreach, Trump’s broader operation has engaged in similar efforts. Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, attended a college football game in North Carolina and is planning to be at a NASCAR event soon. Meanwhile, MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, released a memo detailing plans for heavy advertising during live sports events, including the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube.
The Nelk Boys play a crucial role in Trump’s strategy to attract young male voters. Their relationship with Trump began in 2020 when UFC executive Dana White facilitated their first meeting with him aboard Air Force One. In March 2022, Trump participated in an interview with the "Full Send" podcast, discussing a variety of personal interests.
Initially, their partnership seemed unconventional; some Nelk Boys arrived at their first interview at Mar-a-Lago dressed in casual hoodies. However, they won Trump over when they refused YouTube's request to edit out his claims regarding the 2020 election from their interview. Following this, their bond strengthened as they interacted at various UFC events, and they conducted a follow-up interview with Trump in April 2023, where they presented him with a used Joe DiMaggio baseball bat. Another interview is slated for later this week, and the group has also engaged with Vance.
As Trump's strategists noticed a shift toward conservatism among young men, they sought to formally integrate Full Send into the campaign. This summer, Trump advisor Taylor Budowich and Shahidi co-founded Send the Vote to encourage young Trump supporters to register. Although the non-profit's mission appears nonpartisan, Full Send's affiliation with Trump is obvious, as seen in a video where a Nelk Boy destroys a TV showing a Harris interview, stating: “Kamala Harris will never be my president.” In another prank, they placed Harris yard signs in front of a Trump supporter’s home.
Send the Vote has also partnered with Old Row, a group popular among college fraternities that has been instrumental in promoting Trump. Old Row features a merch store with items like a Trump “legend” T-shirt and a cap that reads, “I didn’t have sex with a porn star,” referencing Trump's denial of an affair during a debate with President Joe Biden. As part of a new initiative, buyers of Old Row merchandise will receive flyers about how to register to vote.
The ongoing challenge for organizers is to motivate these young men, fond of wearing "Free Trump" T-shirts, to register and participate in the upcoming election. "This younger generation, especially the 18 to 22 year old, thinks posting a video about [Trump] and how much they love him and how funny this was or how he nails this policy and he speaks on this policy properly ... thinks that's enough," Shahidi noted. "And it's not. You still need to vote.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
