Memes, Pop Culture, and Economy: How Young Voters Helped Trump Win

News Analysis

President-elect Donald Trump has many people to thank for winning the election, but near the top of the list should be his young voters, who moved in great numbers toward the Republican since his last election in 2020.

A slight majority of Gen Z men, 49–47, went for Trump, according to the Edison Research exit poll.

Yet it may be less his technological accomplishments such as Tesla and SpaceX and more his online persona that young voters find likable. Musk often expresses himself in memes and with pop culture references popular with Gen Z. He also places a premium on authenticity—a trait appealing to Gen Z.

Last year, when interviewed by CNBC, Musk was asked why he shares his opinions online even when he knew many people wouldn’t like them and it has had some negative effects on his companies.

Musk paused for 12 seconds and then replied:

“You know, I’m reminded of the scene of the ‘Princess Bride’—great movie—where he confronts the person who killed his father and he says, ‘Offer me money, offer me power. I don’t care.’ … I’ll say what I want to say and if the consequence of that is losing money, so be it.”

While the 1987 movie came out many years before Gen Z was born, it’s the source of a number of popular memes Gen Z is familiar with.

Musk also has some bona fides with the gamer community. Just a day before the election, he divulged during his interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan that he was among the top-rated Diablo 4 players, though the ranking is unofficial.

Memes

Trump appears to have an uncanny ability to produce meme-able content. Starting with his “you’re fired” trope on “The Apprentice” reality show, to his “you’d be in jail” jab during the 2016 presidential debate with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, through to his YMCA dance he has repeated on stage during his rallies, he has become a part of the meme culture.

During his debate with Harris, Trump said that Haitian immigrants were eating dogs and cats, a claim based on a handful of unconfirmed anecdotes. People turned his comments into songs and memes that quickly went viral. Even when the original intent was to mock Trump in many cases, his supporters embraced the meme, which then became the highlight of the entire debate.

After his election win, some people expressed the sentiment online that, although they may not agree with Trump, they are happy for the memes his presidency will likely produce.

The Harris campaign also had several viral moments, such as running with the comment by British pop singer Charli XCX that Harris was a “brat” or memes based on a quote she attributed to her mother last year: “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?”

Those moments, however, seemed to have quickly faded, compared to some of the Trump memes that have been reused and resurfaced for years.

Podcasts

During his last several months campaigning, Trump gave more than a dozen podcast interviews, including long-form talks with Lex Fridman and Rogan. He also joined the “Bussin’ With The Boys” and Theo Von shows.

Podcasts are a popular source of information for Gen Z. They allow for a less scripted setting, which fits Gen Z’s preference for authenticity.

Harris’s interviews and media appearances often featured strictly scripted speeches and canned answers to pre-approved questions. Despite her notably improved presentation since her last presidential run in 2020, she still struggled to come across as authentic and comfortable in her skin.

Both inauthenticity and emotional pathos play into the kryptonite of the Gen Z generation—cringe.

Just days before the election, the Harris campaign went as far as releasing her own game map for the online game Fortnite. Pushing the candidate into the youngster gaming subculture could easily come across as forced and out of place.

The Harris campaign’s focus on concerts and celebrity endorsements also received limited play with Gen Z, which tends to trust online influencers more than celebrities.

Even the biggest celebrity endorsement, from Taylor Swift, likely had a limited impact since she’s more popular with millennials than Gen Z to begin with.

Distrust and Rebellion

Gen Z has been growing up during the proliferation of woke culture. Especially for young men, that means being told they are the beneficiaries of patriarchy and de facto oppressors.

Trump’s anti-establishment position appears more attuned to said distrust and encourages rebellion against the woke orthodoxy.

Harris, on the other hand, has been one of the most progressive politicians, very much on board with the woke ideology.

Gen Z, in particular, tend to be careful spenders, which may make them more susceptible to economic worries.

Inflation, one of the top economic concerns of recent years, hits lower earners the hardest, and young people tend to earn less. They’re also more likely to hold tipped jobs, matching well one of Trump’s signature proposals of eliminating federal income tax on tips.