Joe Rogan endorses Trump on eve of the election

On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, popular podcast host Joe Rogan made a surprise announcement: he was officially endorsing Donald Trump. The endorsement came after a high-profile interview with billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, which Rogan released on his podcast just a day before the election. Trump’s team quickly seized on the moment, promoting it as a significant boost in the final hours of their campaign.

Rogan’s endorsement was revealed through a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), where he shared his latest podcast featuring Musk, a staunch ally of Trump. In the post, Rogan praised Musk’s perspective on the election, stating, “The great and powerful @elonmusk. If it wasn’t for him we’d be f**ked. He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you’ll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way.” He followed this up with a clear declaration: “For the record, yes, that’s an endorsement of Trump. Enjoy the podcast.”

The endorsement was a notable development in the final stretch of the campaign, especially considering Rogan’s massive audience, which skews largely young and male. This demographic has been a key focus for Trump’s campaign, particularly in the months leading up to the election, as advisers looked to engage low-propensity voters who might not traditionally turn out in large numbers.

Rogan’s decision to publicly back Trump comes just weeks after he had a much-anticipated conversation with the former president on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. The interview, which was months in the making, had been positioned as a strategic win for Trump, offering him a platform to reach Rogan’s diverse audience. The appearance was widely regarded as a success for the Trump campaign, which has long recognized the value of tapping into media outlets with unconventional formats to resonate with younger and less politically engaged voters.

On the day Rogan’s endorsement was announced, Trump was rallying in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he wasted no time in responding to the news. Speaking to the crowd, he excitedly referenced Rogan’s endorsement, saying, “It just came over the wires that Joe Rogan just endorsed me, is that great. Thank you, Joe. That’s so nice. And he doesn’t do that, he doesn’t do that stuff.” Trump also pointed out that Rogan, known for his more liberal views on certain issues, was not typically aligned with the conservative base, which made the endorsement even more notable. “And he tends to be a little bit more liberal than some of the people in this room,” Trump quipped, to applause from his supporters.

Rogan’s move came on the heels of a controversy regarding his potential interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Earlier in the week, he had posted on X that he had declined an offer from Harris’ campaign to appear on his podcast. Rogan explained that while Harris’ team had suggested a date for the interview, it would have required him to travel to her, and they had only allotted an hour for the conversation. Rogan, who prefers to record his podcasts in-studio in Austin, Texas, expressed his desire for a more meaningful exchange. “I strongly feel the best way to do it is in the studio in Austin,” Rogan said, adding, “My sincere wish is to just have a nice conversation and get to know her as a human being. I really hope we can make it happen.”

The Harris campaign did not respond to Rogan’s post, and it remains unclear whether the interview will take place in the future.

Rogan’s endorsement, coming so late in the race, could serve as a crucial moment for Trump as he looks to sway undecided voters and solidify support among young, male, and independent voters. Rogan’s influence in media circles, especially among podcast listeners, has only grown in recent years, making his public backing of Trump a potentially impactful event in the final hours of a fiercely contested election.

As Election Day looms, the endorsement adds another layer to the political narrative, underscoring the increasingly unconventional alliances shaping the 2024 race. Whether Rogan’s influence will have a tangible effect on the vote remains to be seen, but his endorsement is undoubtedly a noteworthy development in the lead-up to one of the most important elections in recent memory.