LAS VEGAS — On Friday, former President Donald Trump will make his way to Texas for his first public campaign event in the state since securing the Republican nomination. This visit features a highly anticipated meeting with well-known podcaster Joe Rogan, who holds the title of the most popular podcaster in the country. This event presents Trump with yet another chance to emphasize the hypermasculine messaging that has become a hallmark of his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference in Austin and engage with Rogan at his studio, marking this as only his second campaign appearance in Texas following a trip to Dallas in May, where he spoke to attendees of the National Rifle Association convention. Interestingly, Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent, will also be in Texas on the same day, participating in a rally focused on abortion rights alongside music icon Beyoncé.
Masculinity has emerged as a pivotal theme in Trump’s campaign strategy, as he targets the young male demographic through appearances on various podcasts and employs surrogates who frequently use rough language. Just two days before, at a rally, former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson branded the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Tim Walz, as “a weak man.” He further likened Trump’s potential return to the presidency to a father returning home ready to reprimand his unruly children, stating, “When dad gets home, you know what he says? You’ve been a bad girl. You’ve been a bad little girl, and you are getting a vigorous spanking right now.”
The relationship between Rogan and Trump is somewhat complex. Rogan had previously declined to host Trump on his podcast, indicating that he did not want to assist in Trump’s political campaign. Earlier in 2023, Trump publicly criticized Rogan for stating that Robert Kennedy Jr. was the only candidate who made sense to him. Since then, Kennedy has since suspended his campaign and thrown his support behind Trump.
Trump took to social media in August to comment on Rogan’s popularity, speculating about how he would be received by audiences at future UFC events. Rogan is known for his lengthy interviews on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which holds the top position on Spotify’s charts. His style includes casual and at times derogatory references to women, showcasing a controversial approach that sparks discussions.
In addition to his interaction with Rogan, Trump will also focus on border security during a press conference, intensifying his contentious rhetoric surrounding immigration as the campaign moves closer to its conclusion. Speaking at a rally in Arizona on Thursday, Trump criticized Harris and the Biden administration’s border policies, claiming they have “unleashed” an “army of migrant gangs” responsible for a series of violent incidences against American citizens. Trump likened the current state of the nation to being a “garbage can for the world,” adding a new layer to his ongoing negative commentary about the country’s circumstances under Democratic leadership.
Later that day at a Turning Point event in Las Vegas, Trump asserted that numerous towns have been “invaded and conquered” by violent immigrants, while warning that many more towns have yet to face this same plight. This echoing of immigration-related tropes has been a consistent component of Trump’s messaging since the COVID-19 pandemic, where he often linked migrants to the spread of illness.
Trump views immigration as the central issue that propelled him to win the presidency in 2016 and accuses Harris of committing a “wicked betrayal of America,” claiming she orchestrated the most significant infraction a leader has ever inflicted upon the American populace. This accusation persists despite a decrease in overall crime rates. While some high-profile crimes involving migrants have received extensive media coverage, studies have indicated that immigrants, including those who are undocumented, generally commit violent crimes at lower rates compared to U.S. citizens.
Additionally, Trump has alleged unfounded theories claiming that Democrats are facilitating the registration of undocumented immigrants to vote. As Harris rallies in Houston, Trump and his supporters plan to make illegal immigration a focal point of their counterarguments. They have highlighted the tragic case of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Texas girl whose murder has led to the indictment of two Venezuelan men residing in the U.S. unlawfully.