6 Takeaways From Donald Trump’s 3-Hour Podcast With Joe Rogan

The ex-president reiterated his unproven allegations of election fraud and pondered the possibility of life on Mars during an interview targeting young male voters.

Former President Donald J. Trump recorded a nearly three-hour episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” on Friday. He engaged with the show's young male viewers by discussing the possibility of getting rid of income tax, mentioning mixed martial arts fighters, commending the military abilities of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and pondering the potential for life on Mars and other celestial bodies.

A significant part of the conversation touched on themes often heard in Mr. Trump’s lengthy campaign speeches. However, the podcast provided him a chance to connect with a desired audience. Mr. Rogan boasts 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 17.6 million on YouTube, much of which includes young men who are less likely to vote but are exactly the demographic the Trump campaign aims to engage.

At one moment, Mr. Rogan attempted to steer Mr. Trump, who refers to his lengthy and wandering way of speaking as “the weave,” back on track. “Your weave is becoming quite extensive,” Mr. Rogan remarked. “You’re really stretching this weave.”

Here are six key points from the podcast.

Trump Found The Podcast Worthy Of A Detour

Mr. Trump’s decision to leave his campaign activities and spend several hours in Mr. Rogan’s studio in Austin—causing a significant postponement of his speech at a Michigan rally on Friday evening—highlights the influence of Mr. Rogan and the significance of his audience.

Only two years back, Mr. Rogan mentioned that he had chosen not to invite Mr. Trump onto his podcast, referring to the former president as “a fundamental danger to democracy.” However, during their recent conversation, Mr. Rogan was open and engaged, though he would occasionally push back on some points.

Mr. Rogan admitted that he reconsidered his stance on interviewing Mr. Trump following an assassination attempt he experienced in July during a rally in Pennsylvania.

“When they shot you, I thought, ‘He needs to come in here,’” Mr. Rogan remarked. “It’s all about the right moment.”

Rogan Invites Trump To Discuss Fraud Claims

"I want to discuss the year 2020 because you keep insisting that you were cheated in that election," Mr. Rogan said, giving Mr. Trump the chance to reiterate his disproven assertions of extensive fraud in the 2020 election and the falsehood that he emerged victorious. "What makes you feel you were cheated? People tend to interrupt you."

Mr. Trump expressed disappointment that "the judges lacked the courage to overturn an election." He reiterated several inaccurate statements, questioned the security of mail-in ballots, and accused Democrats of having exploited the pandemic to manipulate the 2020 election.

Mr. Rogan appeared to support Mr. Trump's doubts about the election procedures and, at one stage, compared people who expressed worries about elections to those who questioned the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines.

Mr. Rogan mentioned that when you express doubts about an election, you can end up being called an election denier. He likened this to being labeled an anti-vaxxer if you raise concerns about the health effects stemming from the Covid-19 vaccines.

In 2022, Mr. Rogan faced backlash for disseminating information about the coronavirus that many considered misleading. This controversy led musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell to pull their music from Spotify in protest against the platform's backing of the podcaster.

Trump Proposed Getting Rid Of Income Tax

Mr. Trump expressed informal backing for the concept of abolishing the federal income tax, indicating a desire to revert to economic practices that were in place prior to the early 1900s.

"Did you really just suggest eliminating income taxes and replacing them with tariffs?" Mr. Rogan inquired of Mr. Trump, who had brought up the idea during a Monday discussion on Fox News. "Is that something we were actually considering?"

"Of course," Mr. Trump replied. "But what's the harm?" He went on to express admiration for William McKinley, the 25th president, a Republican whose stance on tariffs Mr. Trump often praises.

Prior to Mr. Trump’s discussions about abolishing the income tax, a study by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget predicted that his various economic plans might increase the country's debt by up to $15 trillion over a decade.

Is There Life On Mars?

Mr. Rogan asked Mr. Trump directly about classified information regarding the existence of life beyond our planet.

The ex-president first stated that he didn’t really think aliens existed. However, he later changed his stance, remembering that he had talked to credible pilots who reported witnessing some unusual phenomena in the sky.

"There's every reason to believe that Mars and other planets could potentially host life," Mr. Trump stated.

Mr. Rogan clarified his statement.

"Regarding Mars, we've sent probes and rovers to explore it, but I don't believe there's any life present," Mr. Rogan stated. (Mars is the most thoroughly examined planet in our solar system, apart from Earth.)

“Perhaps there's an aspect of life that remains a mystery to us,” said Mr. Trump, who has promised in his campaign speeches to send an American astronaut to Mars.

Researchers have not yet discovered any signs of life on Mars, but they are actively searching for proof of ancient organisms.

Trump Distrusts Polls And Pollsters Alike

Mr. Trump shared with Mr. Rogan that he doesn't think highly of political polls. He suggested that there was likely a significant amount of dishonesty in them, although he has also mentioned polls in a favorable light when they indicated he was performing well with the electorate.

"Are you familiar with how surveys are conducted?" Mr. Trump inquired. "I'm about to say something controversial. Honestly, I don't have much faith in them."

Surveys have repeatedly indicated a close competition between Mr. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. It's important to note that surveys were particularly off in the previous two presidential elections, leading many pollsters to make efforts to enhance their precision. However, Mr. Trump proposed, without any proof, that the discrepancies might not only be errors but potentially deceptive. “I believe they don’t conduct interviews in many instances,” he remarked.

Much Praise, Yet An Environmental Challenge

Mr. Rogan was a warm and welcoming interviewer who frequently complimented Mr. Trump. He seldom cut off the former president during their conversation, and they appeared to connect over their mutual interest in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts organization that Mr. Trump regularly watches.

Mr. Rogan, a stand-up comic, complimented Mr. Trump for his "sense of humor" during his campaign.

However, their perspectives didn’t always align perfectly. At one moment, Mr. Rogan prompted Mr. Trump to explain his views on why he believed people resisted the expansion of oil and gas production or fracking, “apart from the valid environmental worries, of course.”

Mr. Trump began to disagree with that statement, but Mr. Rogan pressed on with his inquiry. He took a serious tone as he confronted Mr. Trump about his assertion that environmental rules were merely a way to benefit consultants who hinder progress.

"They wield it like a tool of aggression," Mr. Trump remarked.

Mr. Rogan responded by asking several questions. “However, there are valid worries about the effects on the environment, right?” he pointed out, referring to past environmental disasters. “It's important to reduce that risk as much as you can.”

"Of course," Mr. Trump acknowledged. However, he quickly redirected the conversation to emphasize his commitment to clean water and air, before launching into remarks about China and expressing grievances about California.

Mr. Trump has formed a somewhat complicated partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental advocate and ex-presidential hopeful, who has voiced his support for Trump. Kennedy, who is preferred by Mr. Rogan, has put forth various environmental initiatives that contradict some of Trump’s promises to roll back regulations and expand fracking activities.

Michael Gold serves as a political reporter for The Times, focusing on the election campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other contenders in the race for the 2024 presidency. To learn more about Michael Gold, click here.