🔎 How Trump won the bro vote
Also: Australia to ban social media for kids, Gen Z's signature problem and the movement to swear off men
Despite what many thought would be Kamala Harris’s moment with Gen Z, the votes told a different story. While her team leaned into the “Brat Girl Summer” vibe, young people—especially young men—surprisingly leaned toward Donald Trump. With a targeted media strategy, appearances with high-profile podcasters, and a little behind-the-scenes help from his son Barron, Trump successfully tapped into the online spaces where young men spend their time.
So, how did Trump win the bro vote? His campaign understood something key: young men are less likely to tune into traditional news outlets and more likely to watch figures like Theo Von, Adin Ross, and the Nelk Boys. Trump’s late-campaign tour on these platforms brought his message straight to a demographic that feels increasingly overlooked by mainstream politics. On these platforms, Trump wasn’t just a politician; he was a guy chatting about the economy, tossing around Bitcoin references, and even hinting that he’d bring crypto “back home.” For many in Gen Z, this was their first real look at Trump, and it hit home.
The result? A significant shift among young men, who voted for Trump by a sizable margin, with his numbers jumping 28 points among men aged 18-29 since 2020. Harris, meanwhile, struggled to hold onto key young demographics. Even in traditionally Democratic strongholds like college towns in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, turnout was lackluster. While Biden had won young voters by a 25-point margin in 2020, Harris captured only 13 points this time—a troubling sign for the Democrats.
The election also brought the gender divide within Gen Z into focus. Young men leaned toward Trump, largely due to economic concerns. Inflation, high rents, and worries about their financial futures made Trump’s “I’ll fix the economy” promises resonate. Harris, in contrast, focused more on social issues like reproductive rights, which did appeal to young women but didn’t leave as much space to connect with young men’s economic concerns. While young women still backed Harris by a significant margin, her support was softer than expected.
Harris’s campaign worked hard to engage Gen Z, making appearances on podcasts like Call Her Daddy and collaborating with influencers to bring her message to TikTok. But while her campaign played up her image, Trump’s team focused on direct digital outreach, leveraging the massive followings of right-leaning influencers. And with Barron Trump playing a subtle but visible role, introducing his dad to these media personalities, Trump reached a younger audience that felt disconnected from Harris’s approach.
Ultimately, the Democrats’ assumptions about youth support fell short in 2024. Traditional rallying points like celebrity endorsements and TikTok influencers weren’t enough for Gen Z voters, especially the young men who increasingly prioritize economic stability and feel left out of mainstream political discourse. They gravitated toward Trump’s outsider appeal and his promises to improve their financial futures. And while young men in Gen Z may not lean fully conservative, they’re less aligned with traditional liberal values than anticipated.
As the dust settles, this election highlights a stark gender divide within Gen Z that Democrats will need to address. The race for young voters, especially young men, is far from over, and finding ways to bridge this gap will be key to the political landscape of the next generation.
Dig deeper:
↪ The Manosphere won (Wired)
↪ How Barron Trump and the ‘Bro Vote’ Helped Sway the US Election (Vice)
🌎 Around the world
➤Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam injured in attacks that authorities call Antisemitic
Violence erupted in Amsterdam following a soccer match, with authorities reporting that attackers specifically targeted Israeli fans. The Dutch government has banned demos and promised increased security measures in response to the incident. (NY Times)
➤ Australian states back national plan to ban children younger than 16 from social media
Leaders of the eight provinces held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss what he calls a world-first national approach that would make platforms including X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook responsible for enforcing the age limit. (AP)
➤ Iranian asset charged in plot to assassinate Trump, DOJ says
The Justice Department says it has thwarted an Iranian plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump in the leadup to the election. (Fox News)
🗳️ Politics
➤ What a second Trump term means for the Constitution (Time)
America has the world’s longest-lasting written constitution. It’s been through a lot—one Civil War, two World Wars, a Great Depression, and all the shocks of the early 21st century. It’s been amended 27 times, though not since 1992. The document, you might think, has shown some staying power. But even after all of that, the 2024 U.S. election has some people asking whether it can go another round with President Donald Trump.
➤ The law is ‘not airtight’: Trump may have a way out of NATO
The guardrail against the next president leaving the alliance is shakier than you think. (Politico)
➤ Gen Z voters lack the basic skill of signing their names and it’s thrown vote counting into chaos, election official says
More than 13,000 mail-in ballots had been rejected across Nevada because people’s signatures did not match those recorded on the voters’ driving licenses—many of them were Gen Zers who came of age during the pandemic and become accustomed to typing instead of writing in cursive. (Fortune)
➤ Opinion: What Gen Alpha Thinks of Politics: Growing Up on the Internet in the Era of Trump
Perhaps, to the younger generation, Brainrot isn’t just ironic jokes but a way of dealing with the intensity of our world. (Teen Vogue)
🗞️ In other News
➤ The movement to swear off men: No sex. No dating. No marriage. No children.
In the days after Donald Trump was elected president, the 4B feminist movement is capturing young women’s interest on social media. (The 19th)
⚕️Health and wellness
➤ Eight reasons why ADHD diagnoses are increasing
For a long time it was assumed that somewhere between 5 and 6% of children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But the rates, in practice, are often higher. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the prevalence at 11.4% in children in 2022. (The Conversation)
➤ This new drink-testing kit could save your life
It's the first and only test that detects all three of the most common date-rape drugs: GHB, Rohypnol (aka roofies), and ketamine. (Nylon)
➤ Young men are getting testosterone boosts to feel stronger, sharper and anxiety-free
A booming industry of men's health clinics offers men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s testosterone therapy to optimize their bodies. (Business Insider)
👩💻 Technology
➤ What a second Trump presidency means for tech
Donald Trump’s second term means significant changes for AI, crypto, and EV policy. (The Verge)
🍿Pop Culture
➤ Argentine prosecutors charge 3 people in connection with singer Liam Payne's death
Prosecutor Andrés Madrea charged the three suspects, whose identities were not revealed, with the crimes of “abandonment of a person followed by death” and “supplying and facilitating the use of narcotics,” the prosecutor’s office said. Madrea also requested their arrest to judge Laura Bruniard, who ruled the three cannot leave the country. (NPR)
➤ Beyoncé passes Jay-Z in all-time Grammy nominations
The couple had been tied on 88 nominations each - but Beyoncé has now pulled ahead thanks to recognition for her latest album, Cowboy Carter.
She leads this year's Grammys race with 11 nominations, including best album, best country album, and song of the year for Texas Hold 'Em. (People)
📡 On the radar
➤ What we know after 43 monkeys escaped a South Carolina research facility
More than 40 monkeys escaped from a research facility in South Carolina on Wednesday, prompting warnings for nearby residents to secure their doors and windows. The fugitive monkeys had not been captured as of Friday morning. (CBS News)
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