Mobilizing Masculinity: How Young Men Delivered Trump’s Victory
Left to right: Donald Trump, Charlie Kirk, Joe Rogan, and Elon Musk.
by Audrey Farris ‘25
In the 2024 presidential election, young male voters emerged as a pivotal group that helped push former President Donald Trump to victory. Economic challenges, cultural divides, and a growing sense of political disillusionment defined the race, all issues that greatly resonated with the young male electorate, which ultimately played a decisive role in securing Trump a second term in office.
Male voters in the United States have historically leaned more conservative than female voters, but this trend was particularly pronounced in 2024. Data from exit polls revealed a significant gender gap, with men across all age groups and political affiliations showing strong support for Trump.
But what attracted specifically young men to Trump? In recent elections, young men in America have not been as politically firm in their conservative beliefs and often don’t vote the same way between each election cycle. They are a group that is largely progressive across a range of issues, with close to 70 percent supporting abortion rights and being one of the most pro-union groups according to Aaron Smith, the co-founder of the Young Men Research Initiative. Still, their top issues statistically were the economy, inflation, and immigration, and they were looking for a change that they believed the Trump administration would bring.
This pro-Trump shift can be attributed to several factors. Trump’s messaging resonated strongly with many male voters, particularly working-class men who felt alienated by globalization and the rise of a more liberal social agenda that leaned toward issues concerning predominantly women and minorities. The sense of economic disenfranchisement combined with concerns over cultural changes drove many men to support Trump’s “America First” agenda, which promised to restore national pride and economic sovereignty.
Economic issues played another critical role in influencing many male voters’ political preferences. According to Smith, 47 percent of young men said the economy was a top issue for them. Trump’s emphasis on reviving American manufacturing, renegotiating trade deals, and bringing jobs back to the United States found a receptive audience among blue-collar men who had seen their industries severely damaged by outsourcing and automation.
Trump’s rhetoric also spoke to broader cultural concerns, particularly threats to masculinity and identity that many men have felt has been perpetuated by liberal agendas. Trump’s unapologetic, combative style appealed to men who viewed his confidence and aggression as a sign of strength and authenticity, contrasting what they saw as the “woke” approach of the Democratic Party.
Trump portrayed himself as the defender of traditional American values, a stance that resonated with men who felt that their own roles in society were being undermined by progressive social policies, specifically those that had a focus on gender identity, family structure, and education.
Trump’s young male supporters were not only driven by policy and cultural factors but were also strongly influenced by conservative media. Outlets like Fox News, Newsmax, and alternative platforms such as Truth Social and Rumble played a key role in shaping the perceptions of many young male voters. These media sources consistently portrayed Biden’s administration and Harris’ administration as weak, out of touch, and susceptible to the influence of radical left-wing groups, making Trump appear as the only viable alternative to what they saw as a failing status quo.
Trump’s ability to energize his base — particularly among young men in rural and suburban areas — was unmatched in 2024. His use of social media, despite being once banned from major platforms like X (formerly Twitter), was supplanted by the rise of alternative social media outlets, where Trump’s messages resonated strongly with his base. This created a feedback loop of positive reinforcement where male voters felt empowered to support the former President, seeing his election as a necessary countermeasure to what they perceived as the erosion of traditional American values.
“Bro” culture played a significant role in mobilizing young male voters as well. This culture, rooted in the celebration of hyper-masculinity, anti-establishment attitudes, and backlash against progressive movements, spoke to many young men. Influential figures like Joe Rogan, Andrew Tate, and Ben Shapiro continued to be dominant voices for this demographic, perpetuating deeply conservative, libertarian ideals and rejection of what they perceived as the growing influences of “woke” culture. These figures framed the election as not just a political contest but a cultural war, encouraging their audiences to support Trump as the defender of traditional values and individual freedoms against the growing influences of progressive ideologies.
In the 2024 election, the male vote became the decisive factor in Trump’s victory, tipping key battleground states in his favor allowing him to secure a second term. Whether driven by economic concerns, a desire for traditional values, or dissatisfaction with the current administration’s policies, male voters, specifically young male voters, were instrumental in shaping the outcome of the election. As American politics continues to evolve, understanding the motivations and priorities of this demographic and understanding how to connect with said demographic in an effective way will be crucial for any candidate hoping to secure electoral success in future elections.