The manosphere is turning its back on Trump: What the brocasters think of his policies: “I’m scared of this tariff stuff”

The “manosphere” refers to a loose collection of male-oriented podcasters and influencers, a demographic that has typically helped shape President Donald Trump’s appeal to younger, less politically engaged male voters.

Now, however, many, including Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Dave Portnoy, seem unsure about Trump’s economic agenda after the implementation of his tariff policies.

Criticism of and silence on Trump’s tariffs in the manosphere

Von recently discussed Trump’s tariffs and trade policies on his podcast with guest comedian Mark Normand, posing the question of whether the short-term rise in prices is worth the supposed return of jobs to Americans.

“Here’s the thing with tariffs. Is the goal of tariffs…if it costs more for people to bring their products in, then they’ll build them here?” Von asked. “It’s going to be bumpy for a while, but that’s if it works. So we’ll see, but it might take 10 years.”

“One of the things that people say,” he continued. “‘Well, even if you bring jobs back here, those jobs are going to disappear because of AI anyway’. That’s one of the other arguments against doing the tariffs at all.”

While Von showed a bit of a mixed reaction to Trump’s tariffs, presenting a bit of both sides of the argument for them, Rogan and Shapiro were much more openly critical - especially regarding the tariff’s economic consequences.

Rogan called the tariffs “radical change”, expressing fear about their unpredictability, while Shapiro called them “problematic”, warning that they won’t bring back jobs for Americans.

Meanwhile, other big name influencers, like Lex Fridman, Andrew Huberman, and the Paul Brothers, aren’t discussing the tariffs at all, despite their huge platforms and prior affiliations with the president. Considering their reach and influence over politically disengaged listeners, their avoidance on this topic is notable

This mixed response reflects a broader uncertainty among Trump’s non-traditional supporters. These podcasters don’t always talk politics directly, but they heavily influence the opinions of audiences who don’t follow traditional news. How they ultimately respond to Trump’s policies could shape public sentiment and affect voter behavior, especially among the less politically engaged demographic that helped propel Trump to victory.

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