Donald Trump has been steaming ahead with his attempt to return to the White House. His popularity has soared, especially in light of the recent assassination attempt. However, since Biden has agreed to move aside, and Kamala Harris has become the Democratic nominee, a shift started to be seen.
Trump has previously shown himself as a master of the online world. He has successfully used platforms in the past to get his message across and get people on board. With a need to connect with a younger audience, there are few options that would be better than a live stream. Not just any live stream, but one on the Kick.com platform with its star streamer, Adin Ross.
Doubts That it Would Ever Happen
There’s no escaping the fact that Adin Ross is hugely popular. Having previously had a massive following on Twitch, he has quickly established himself on Kick.com. The problem, however, is that while he can hold an audience, he has also garnered a reputation as being somewhat of a joker. It was back in 2023 that he promised his viewers that he’d be hosting the one and only Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader. People tuned into the stream, eagerly awaiting the sight of him, only to find an impersonator in his place.
Trump is a savvy operator and is in touch with how people feel and react. He needed to build a significant audience during his livestream, but the concern was that thinking this was just another joke, no one would watch. Trump soon put an end to that concern by taking to his own platform, Truth Social, and posting that Ross’ claims were the real deal and that he would soon be appearing.
Starting Strong
The stream began with an AI-generated animation, and then the music set in. Enter Trump and Ross, with a touch of swagger, as they approach the mics and screens. Both adorning red ties, Ross also sported a baseball cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again”. Ross walked out with his parents in tow and, at this point, there were already 250,000 viewers.
Trump seemed humbled by the opportunity that Ross was giving him. He spoke of how he loved having a younger audience and that it all linked to the American dream, and allowing the next generation to succeed. “Right now, you don’t have the American dream” he added, in an early swipe at how he feels the democrats have destroyed the country.
This early swipe set the tone for what was to come. As we’ll see, there were plenty of lighter moments during the stream, but Trump was also keen to get his message across. Only he can fix America, and only he can keep the world safe.
Matters Turn to Biden and Harris
There has been a shift in public opinion since Biden made way for Harris. This is probably the reason why Trump was here in the first place: trying to maintain the momentum and capture a new demographic. In fact, Harris has been doing this herself with a sense of desperation in securing the endorsement of Taylor Swift (at the time of writing, this is still not forthcoming).
As soon as Trump mentioned Biden, he was straight to the point. “He’s done tremendous damage to our country”, he said. Then comes the backhanded compliment where he claims that Biden is more intelligent than Harris. And the put-down? “And I think he’s a really not smart person”.
Trump seizes the moment here and goes into the reasons why Harris isn’t even the right choice for her party, let alone the country. He describes her as a ‘roadblock’ that the party couldn’t get around but, if they had, there was the possibility of a much stronger candidate.
Tapping into the Crowd
There’s one thing for sure when it comes to Trump: he’s the ultimate showman. It’s not just that he performs. He’s aware of his audience, and he knows exactly what it takes to communicate and align with the people listening to him. That explains why he moved seamlessly from discussing politics to UFC and then back again.
Knowing that the audience was younger than his norm, he zoned in on UFC and took the time to discuss his two favourite fighters. The level of detail he gave showed one thing. These weren’t throwaway comments. This was a politician who had put in the effort to prep for this event and, without doubt, he’d reap the rewards.
Once appealing to the audience with talk of sport, he then swiftly moved to crime and drug addiction. He spoke of the state of the country and how it had all gone wrong. He also made clear that he could see the cause so he was the one that could put it right.
Trump the Fixer
There’s no escaping the fact that the world has changed since Trump left office. There are now wars raging and real potential for a worldwide conflict. This is where Trump comes into his own. He’s quick to point out that there were no wars during his office. He also points out that it was his administration that saw the downfall of ISIS. So, what is it about Trump that would have seen things play out differently had he been in power? It’s all down to relationships.
During a game set up by Ross, Trump is asked to look at photographs of people and describe them with a single word. While this segment generated plenty of laughs, it was also an opportunity for Trump to show his strength as a diplomat. With President Zelensky appearing on a slide, Trump is clear that the war would never have started in Ukraine. He vows that if he wins the election, he’s the one who can put an end to it. He’s the one who can sit in a room with Putin, negotiate, and bring the war to an end.
Pictures then appeared of the leaders of China and North Korea. While there was plenty of humour, Trump again emphasised that he was the man to maintain peace. He spoke of positive relationships and how neither country would desire conflict with him.
The End of Sleepy Joe Comparisons
Perhaps the biggest benefit that this event brought about for Trump was that he has allowed him to show his true capabilities. Adin Ross allowed Trump to be shown at his very best. Trump had long referred to Biden as ‘Sleepy Joe’, but as he stepped aside from the presidential race, Trump soon found his own age being scrutinised. People were now asking questions about his fitness for office. There were allegations that Trump was no longer sharp enough to be effective. The appearance on Kick.com will have banished these concerns.
Throughout the stream, Trump was quick-witted as well as intelligent. His off-the-cuff remarks brought plenty of laughter, but when it came to the serious issues, Trump demonstrated that he knew the facts and that he had solutions. While Biden humiliated himself, and embarrassed the US, during the debate, Trump has shown that he is more than capable, mentally and physically, to hold office again.
A Look at the Gifts
While Trump was grateful for the chance to engage with a younger audience, there can be no doubt that this was a major coup for Ross as well. The two thanked each other throughout for the opportunity, but Ross went a step further with the bearing of gifts.
First off, Ross presented Trump with a Rolex watch. While money may be no object to Trump, his response seemed sincere with its gratitude and humility. It was the gift presented at the end of the stream that was a highlight: a Tesla Cybertruck.
This Tesla was like no other as Ross ensured that the wrap was spectacular. It featured the slogan “Make America Great Again” as well as the iconic image of Trump taking to his feet after the assassination attempt. There was no way that Trump could hide his delight with this gift, but it’s something that also sparked another conversation: the power of Google.
Trump and Google
Trump referred to the picture that wrapped his new Tesla and was keen to point out the danger posed by Google. He accused the company of manipulating the image so that the Secret Service agents had smiles on their faces, suggesting they were pleased to see Trump shot. This conversation moved on more broadly to technology, as AI was also discussed.
Trump saw the US as faltering when it came to the development of AI. His fear is that unless the country steps up, it is leaving everything on the table for China to benefit from. He made similar comments in relation to cryptocurrencies. He criticised the current administration for selling off its crypto, rather than holding and investing. He again pointed towards China and how it was the country that would benefit as the US was left behind.
Also relating to tech, Trump was keen to mention that he would keep TikTok in the US. He spoke about how the current administration just didn’t get it, but that he would protect it. Given the demographic that he was speaking to, this was a very clever move by Trump.
Bringing the Stream to an End
It has to be said that Trump performed exceptionally well and that Ross shined too. However, the way that the stream was brought to its conclusion could never have been guessed. Would you have ever expected to see Trump and Ross doing a victory dance? Not just any dance, but one to the Village People’s YMCA? Well, that’s exactly what happened.
After a conversation about tastes in music, it was Ross seeking to go out on a high. After discussing The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis, it was Ross who hit the console, selected YMCA and began to dance. Trump was more than happy to join in.
How Did Ross Land the Trump Stream?
While Trump stood to benefit from being exposed to a new audience, there’s no denying that this was big news for Adin Ross too. So, how did it all come about? The man to thank is Dana White, the head of UFC.
Ross and Trump had previously crossed paths at a UFC event. It was White who thought that they would make for the perfect livestream, and he worked to make it happen. During the stream, both Ross and Trump reach out to White to thank him for making it happen.
When Ross realised that hosting Trump was a reality, he set a wager with the co-founder of Kick.com, Ed Craven. Also, the co-founder of Stake.com, Craven was no stranger to betting and so heard Ross out. The bet? Ross wagered that he could hit 500,000 concurrent views during the livestream. The wager? $100,000.
Unfortunately for Ross, Craven first knocked him back, stating that 500,000 was far too easy. Ross came back and upped this to 600,000, and Craven accepted. The result? Ross fell just short of the mark, but replays have meant viewing figures are climbing fast.
Final Thoughts
The appearance on Ross’ stream will have ignited Trump’s campaign. This gave him the opportunity to display his wit, his intelligence, and also his human side. Trump has done away with concerns about his age and has shown that he is more than fit enough to take up office again.
Will Kamala Harris or the Democrats have tuned in? Maybe not the live stream, but you can be sure that they’ve hunted down the link and that they’re sat up and taking notice. If they’re looking for a masterclass in tapping into the electorate, this is exactly what they will find.
