On Saturday, ex-President Trump recorded an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that lasted close to three hours.
The podcast, which took place in Austin, Texas, provided the Republican presidential candidate an opportunity to connect with Rogan’s vast audience of 14.5 million on Spotify and 17.6 million on YouTube. As the leading podcast host in the country, Rogan holds significant sway over young male voters—a key demographic that Trump is targeting.
Below are the key insights from the podcast that was released on Friday.
Trump requests Rogan to clarify the reason behind his negative press, stating, You’ve made some pretty outrageous comments.
During his explanation of how he made political appointments after taking office, Trump recounted his early decision to appoint John Bolton as National Security Adviser. However, in 2019, he dismissed Bolton, who continues to be a vocal critic. Trump mentioned that Phil Ruffin, an American businessman and acquaintance, had cautioned him about Bolton being a bad guy, but by that time, Trump had already brought him on board.
He was indeed correct, but he had his own strengths. He’s a bit eccentric. Whenever I interacted with other nations and they spotted this unpredictable character behind me, their immediate thought was, ‘Wow, Trump is going to declare war on us.’ He was part of the Bush administration during the ill-fated Middle Eastern intervention that should have never happened. I used to express my views on that as a civilian, which often garnered me more attention than others, Trump remarked.
I wasn’t making an effort, Trump stated. Honestly, I’m not sure why that is. Perhaps you can shed some light on it.
I can certainly share my thoughts, Rogan said. You made some pretty outrageous statements. And then CNN, in their infinite wisdom, showcased those statements, which only increased your popularity. They helped elevate your standing in the polls because folks were fed up with the typical scripted political talk. Even if they didn’t see eye to eye with you, they recognized that you were being genuine—that’s truly who you are.
Rogan informs Trump that the insurgents are now aligned with the Republican Party, and Elon Musk concurs.
Interestingly, the rebels have become Republicans. If you aspire to be unnoticed, embrace punk rock ideals, or challenge the establishment, you’re essentially aligning with conservatism now, Rogan remarked. It’s astonishing how things have flipped. Meanwhile, liberals are advocating for suppressing dissent and supporting online censorship. They are stepping in to control free speech and even interfere with the First Amendment. It’s wild to witness.
In 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as X, and reacted to the video by stating, Exactly.
Trump responded to Rogan by saying, You’re aware that they target their political rivals. I’ve faced more scrutiny than Al Capone ever did.
Trump mentioned that he advised North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to simply take it easy and enjoy some time at the beach.
During the transition phase after the presidential election, Trump shared his memories of a conversation with former President Obama, who expressed concerns that a conflict with North Korea was imminent. Additionally, Rogan remembered how Trump referred to Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, as Little Rocket Man shortly after taking office.
I told him, ‘Short Rocket Man, you’re destined for hell.’ It was a tough conversation, Trump recounted. I became more familiar with him than anyone else. I asked him, ‘Do you ever take a break? Why not just unwind and enjoy the beach?’ Jokingly, I mentioned, ‘You’re always focused on nuclear projects. Just chill out. You don’t have to keep at it. How about we develop some condos instead?’