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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 43 (from laksa185)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa043.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/elon-musk-and-the-political-power-of-young-men\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/elon-musk-and-the-political-power-of-young-men\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/elon-musk-and-the-political-power-of-young-men","crawl_time":1775818357,"first_indexed_time":1723760730,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,gzeromedia!www,\/gzero-north\/elon-musk-and-the-political-power-of-young-men s443","src_root_hash":"6355944888602386043","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"PDF Link Styles | GZERO Media","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is\ntighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell\n.\nNumbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men.\nIn this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away.\nIn particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect.\nEnter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which\nTrump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk\nsaid it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”\nMusk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “\nChainsaw\n” Elon to do some government clear-cutting.\nSo, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer.\nHis publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career.\nTo study those people, a group called the\nYoung Men’s Research Initiative\njust ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close.\n“68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack.\nWhy? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.”\nBut does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election?\n“Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me.\n“Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.”\nThis is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live.\nYMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week.\nWho else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson.\n“Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable [male] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.”\nThe views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI\/YouGov poll.\nAbout half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.”\nToo many social norms and rules\nis the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men.\nFor this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity.\nThe poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one?\nBut the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.”\nThis finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.\nSelecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context.\nThey know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck.\n“Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.”\nAs Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tr?id=359223808087944&ev=PageView%0A&noscript=1)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/)\n- [Analysis](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/)\n- [What We're Watching](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/watching\/)\n- [Hard Numbers](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/hard-numbers\/)\n- [Editor's Picks](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/editors-picks\/)\n- [Graphic Truth](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/)\n- [Games](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/games\/)\n- [by ian bremmer](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/by-ian-bremmer\/)\n- [AI](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/ai\/)\n- [China](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/china\/)\n- [Climate](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/climate\/)\n- [Economy](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/economy\/)\n- [Israel](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/israel\/)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/politics\/)\n- [Russia\/Ukraine](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/russia-ukraine\/)\n- [Science & Tech](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/science-tech\/)\n- [United Nations](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/united-nations\/)\n- [GZERO Explains](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-explains\/)\n- [Viewpoint](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/viewpoint\/)\n- [US & Canada](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/us-canada\/)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/europe\/)\n- [Latin America & Caribbean](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/latin-america-caribbean\/)\n- [Africa](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/africa\/)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/middle-east\/)\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/asia\/)\n- [Australia & Pacific](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/australia-pacific\/)\n- [GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)\n- [GZERO AI](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-ai\/)\n- [Hunger Pains](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/hunger-pains\/)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/)\n- [GZERO World with Ian Bremmer](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer\/)\n- [GZERO World Clips](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/)\n- [Quick Take](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/quick-take\/)\n- [Ian Explains](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ian-explains\/)\n- [Puppet Regime](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/puppet-regime\/)\n- [ask ian](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ask-ian\/)\n- [GZERO Europe](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-europe\/)\n- [GZERO Reports](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-reports\/)\n- [The Debrief](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/the-debrief\/)\n- [US Politics In 60 Seconds](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/us-politics-in-60\/)\n- [GZERO Live](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-live\/)\n- [State of the World](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/state-of-the-world\/)\n- [GZERO AI Video](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-ai-video\/)\n- [The Red Pen](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/the-red-pen\/)\n- [Work In 60 Seconds](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/work-in-60\/)\n- [Cyber in 60 Seconds](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/cyber-in-60\/)\n- [Tech in 60 Seconds](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/tech-in-60\/)\n- [Money in 60 Seconds](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/money-in-60\/)\n- [A. 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Stage](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/global-stage\/)\n\nclose Search\n\nSearch\n\nHuman content, **AI powered** search.\n## Latest Stories\n\nClose\n\n### Sign up for GZERO Daily.\nGet our latest updates and insights delivered to your inbox.\n\nEnter your email\n\nSign Up\n\nPuppet Regime is up for a Webby Award! [VOTE HERE](https:\/\/wbby.co\/58950N)\n\n1. [GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)  \\>\n\n[GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)\n\n# Elon Musk and the Political Power of Young Men\n\n![ Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X,. ](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/media-library\/elon-musk-chief-executive-officer-of-spacex-and-tesla-and-owner-of-x.jpg?id=53376734&width=1200&height=799)\n\nElon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X,.\n\nREUTERS\/Gonzalo Fuentes\/File Photo\/File Photo\n\n[![Evan Solomon]()](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/evansolomon)\n\nBy [Evan Solomon](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/evansolomon)August 15, 2024\n\nEvan Solomon\n\nEvan Solomon is a Member of Parliament in Canada's House of Commons, representing the Toronto Centre consitituency. From 2022 through March 2025, he was the publisher of GZERO Media and a member of Eurasia Group’s Management Committee.\n\nEvan has been one of Canada’s preeminent journalists for more than 25 years. Prior to joining GZERO, he was the host of CTV’s nightly political program \"Power Play\" and of Canada’s most-watched political TV show, the Sunday morning \"Question Period.\" He also hosted \"The Evan Solomon Show,\" a daily iHeartRadio\/Bell Media radio program. Earlier in his career, he co-founded the pioneering Shift Magazine, an international digital culture magazine, and was the founder of the Sirius XM show and podcast \"Everything is Political.\" He has also hosted the PBS series \"Masters of Technology\" and CBC shows such as \"Power and Politics,\" \"CBC News: Sunday,\" \"The House,\" and \"FutureWorld.\" Evan has reported on events from around the world, covering Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and he has interviewed key political figures, from prime ministers and presidents to the Dalai Lama. Evan’s best-selling books include \"Fueling the Future: How the Battle Over Energy is Changing Everything\" and \"Feeding the Future: From Fat to Famine, How to Solve the World’s Food Crisis.” He has also been a columnist for Macleans and The Globe and Mail.\n\n[See Full Bio](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/evansolomon)\n\nTrending Stories\n\n[![An aerial view of the Pasadena Refining System, Inc., in Pasadena, Texas, from 2017.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/why-does-the-us-import-oil-despite-producing-enough-for-its-needs)\n\n### [Why does the US Import oil despite producing enough for its needs?](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/why-does-the-us-import-oil-despite-producing-enough-for-its-needs)\n\n[![Graphic Truth: Military might, Canada vs. US](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-military-might-canada-vs-us)\n\n### [Graphic Truth: Military might, Canada vs. US](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-military-might-canada-vs-us)\n\n[![Graphic Truth: The North American gun divide](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-the-north-american-gun-divide)\n\n### [Graphic Truth: The North American gun divide](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-the-north-american-gun-divide)\n\n[![Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters, announcing that he intends to step down as Liberal Party leader and prime minister from his Rideau Cottage residence in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 6, 2025.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/justin-trudeau-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-golden-boy)\n\n### [Justin Trudeau: The rise and fall of a political golden boy](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/justin-trudeau-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-golden-boy)\n\n[![Graphic Truth: Most successful ice hockey teams](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-most-successful-ice-hockey-teams)\n\n### [Graphic Truth: Most successful ice hockey teams](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-most-successful-ice-hockey-teams)\n\n[![Graphic Truth: The rising cost of US elections](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-the-rising-cost-of-us-elections)\n\n### [Graphic Truth: The rising cost of US elections](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/graphic-truth-the-rising-cost-of-us-elections)\n\nThere is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs).\n\nNumbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men.\n***\nIn this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away.\n\nIn particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect.\n\nEnter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”\n\nMusk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https:\/\/ca.news.yahoo.com\/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting.\n\nSo, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer.\n\nHis publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career.\n\nTo study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https:\/\/substack.com\/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close.\n\n“68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack.\n\nWhy? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.”\n\nBut does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election?\n\n“Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me.\n\n“Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.”\n\nThis is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live.\n\nYMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week.\n\nWho else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson.\n\n“Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \\[male\\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.”\n\nThe views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI\/YouGov poll.\n\nAbout half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.”\n\n**Too many social norms and rules** is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men.\n\nFor this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity.\n\nThe poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one?\n\nBut the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.”\n\nThis finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.\n\nSelecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context.\n\nThey know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck.\n\n“Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.”\n\nAs Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?\n\n[young men](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/tag\/young-men)[elon musk](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/tag\/elon-musk)\n\n## Latest Videos\n![Krastev: The Iran war is fracturing Europe's far right](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n[GZERO World Clips](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/)\n\n## [Krastev: The Iran war is fracturing Europe's far right](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/krastev-the-iran-war-is-fracturing-europe-s-far-right)\n\n[![How Viktor Orbán went from pro-democratic dissident to authoritarian strongman](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer\/how-viktor-orban-went-from-pro-democratic-dissident-to-authoritarian-strongman)\n\n[GZERO World with Ian Bremmer](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer\/)\n\n## [How Viktor Orbán went from pro-democratic dissident to authoritarian strongman](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer\/how-viktor-orban-went-from-pro-democratic-dissident-to-authoritarian-strongman)\n\n[![Trump’s ceasefire deal with Iran](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ask-ian\/trumps-ceasefire-deal-with-iran)\n\n[ask ian](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ask-ian\/)\n\n## [Trump’s ceasefire deal with Iran](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ask-ian\/trumps-ceasefire-deal-with-iran)\n\n[![Why Orbán's real patron isn't Trump](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/why-orban-s-real-patron-isn-t-trump)\n\n[GZERO World Clips](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/)\n\n## [Why Orbán's real patron isn't Trump](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/why-orban-s-real-patron-isn-t-trump)\n\n[![Who’s negotiating with Iran to keep trade moving?](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/quick-take\/whos-negotiating-with-iran-to-keep-trade-moving)\n\n[Quick Take](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/quick-take\/)\n\n## [Who’s negotiating with Iran to keep trade moving?](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/quick-take\/whos-negotiating-with-iran-to-keep-trade-moving)\n\n[![How Hungary's Orbán built his empire, and why it's cracking](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ian-explains\/how-hungary-s-orban-built-his-empire-and-why-it-s-cracking)\n\n[Ian Explains](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ian-explains\/)\n\n## [How Hungary's Orbán built his empire, and why it's cracking](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ian-explains\/how-hungary-s-orban-built-his-empire-and-why-it-s-cracking)\n\n## Related\n[![U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attends a press conference following the issuance of the Federal Open Market Committee's statement on interest rate policy in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2025](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/hard-numbers-fed-holds-interest-rates-canadas-population-stays-flat-lng-plant-to-open-in-b-c-us-nabs-suspects-in-largest-jewelry-heist)\n\n[GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)\n\n### [Hard Numbers: Fed holds interest rates, Canada’s population stays flat, LNG plant to open in B.C., US nabs suspects in “largest jewelry heist”](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/hard-numbers-fed-holds-interest-rates-canadas-population-stays-flat-lng-plant-to-open-in-b-c-us-nabs-suspects-in-largest-jewelry-heist)\n\n[GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)\n\n### [What we’re watching: The subnational US-Canada relationship, Golden Dome’s leaden weight, MAGA Iran crackup](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/what-were-watching-the-subnational-us-canada-relationship-golden-domes-leaden-weight-maga-iran-crackup)\n\n[GZERO North](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/)\n\n### [Was the G7 a success for host Canada? Let’s take a look\\!](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/gzn-6-18-2025)\n\n## The Top 5\n[![Casino depicting things commonly bet on by political betters.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/the-case-against-political-prediction-markets)\n\n### [The case against political prediction markets](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/the-case-against-political-prediction-markets)\nApr 01, 2026\n\n[![Top defense budgets globally compared the US](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/us-defense-spending-vs-everyone-else)\n\n### [US defense spending vs. the world](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/us-defense-spending-vs-everyone-else)\nApr 06, 2026\n\n[![We are a Webby Nominee \\| The Webby Awards \\| Vote for Us \\| Voting open until Thursday, April 16th \\| Puppet Regime puppets shown](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/editors-picks\/vote-for-puppet-regime-in-the-webby-awards)\n\n### [Vote for Puppet Regime in the Webby Awards\\!](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/editors-picks\/vote-for-puppet-regime-in-the-webby-awards)\nApr 02, 2026\n\n[![Viktor Orban and Peter Magyar](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/by-ian-bremmer\/viktor-orban-will-probably-lose-what-then)\n\n### [Viktor Orban will probably lose. What then?](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/by-ian-bremmer\/viktor-orban-will-probably-lose-what-then)\nApr 08, 2026\n\n[![The United States President Donald Trump holds a Press Conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 6, 2026 in Washington DC. ](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/trumps-new-ultimatum-for-iran)\n\n### [Trump’s new ultimatum for Iran](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/trumps-new-ultimatum-for-iran)\nApr 07, 2026\n\n## Discover More\nThere is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs).\n\nNumbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men.\n***\nIn this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away.\n\nIn particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect.\n\nEnter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”\n\nMusk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https:\/\/ca.news.yahoo.com\/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting.\n\nSo, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer.\n\nHis publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career.\n\nTo study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https:\/\/substack.com\/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close.\n\n“68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack.\n\nWhy? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.”\n\nBut does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election?\n\n“Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me.\n\n“Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.”\n\nThis is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live.\n\nYMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week.\n\nWho else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson.\n\n“Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \\[male\\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.”\n\nThe views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI\/YouGov poll.\n\nAbout half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.”\n\n**Too many social norms and rules** is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men.\n\nFor this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity.\n\nThe poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one?\n\nBut the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.”\n\nThis finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.\n\nSelecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context.\n\nThey know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck.\n\n“Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.”\n\nAs Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?\n\nFrom Your Site Articles\n\n- [Debate Bingo, VP edition: Tim Walz v. JD Vance - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/us-election\/debate-bingo-vp-edition-tim-walz-v-jd-vance)\n- [Canada's fight with India over Sikh assassination heats up again - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/ask-ian\/canadas-fight-with-india-over-sikh-assassination-heats-up-again)\n- [2024's top 10 geopolitical game changers - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/top-10-geopolitical-game-changers-of-2024)\n- [Will Elon Musk be good for America? - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-clips\/will-elon-musk-be-good-for-america)\n- [The rise of Elon Musk's DOGE under Trump - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/video\/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer\/the-rise-of-elon-musk-doge-under-trump)\n- [Inside Elon Musk and DOGE's \"revolutionary\" push to reshape Washington, with WIRED's Katie Drummond - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/podcast\/gzero-world-podcast\/elon-musk-doge-revolutionary-push-to-reshape-washington)\n- [Elon Musk's political donations in 2024 - GZERO Media ›](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/elon-musks-political-donations)\n\n## More For You\n### [What We’re Watching: Separatists go bust, Canada goes social, US readies tax retaliation](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/what-were-watching-separatists-go-bust-canada-goes-social-us-readies-tax-retaliation)\n[Stephen Maher](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/stephenmaher)\n\nJun 26, 2025\n\n[![Alberta sovereigntists and supporters gather outside the Alberta Legislature on May 3, 2025.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/what-were-watching-separatists-go-bust-canada-goes-social-us-readies-tax-retaliation)\n\nAlberta sovereigntists and supporters gather outside the Alberta Legislature on May 3, 2025.\n\nArtur Widak via Reuters Connect\n\nAlberta separatists underwhelm in local electionAlberta’s separatist movement came up short in a bellwether by-election in rural Calgary on Monday, winning a disappointing 19% of the vote in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Cameron Davies, leader of the separatist Alberta Republican Party, came in third, behind the governing United Conservative Party \\[...\\]\n\n[Microsoft](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/microsoftontheissues)\n\n### [Tools and Weapons: In Conversation with Ryan Roslansky](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/sponsored-posts\/tools-and-weapons-in-conversation-with-ryan-roslansky-msft-040826)\nApr 07, 2026\n\n[![Brad Smith sitting with Ryan Roslansky and talking with a tools and weapons with Brad Smith logo in the background](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/sponsored-posts\/tools-and-weapons-in-conversation-with-ryan-roslansky-msft-040826)\n\n[Microsoft](https:\/\/rebrand.ly\/59825b)\n\nIn this new episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn and EVP at Microsoft, for a timely conversation on how AI is reshaping the world of work. Drawing on insights from his new book, Open to Work, they explore how rethinking jobs as collections of tasks and treating skills as currency can help people, organizations, and economies adapt to a rapidly changing labor market.\n\nWatch the episode [here](https:\/\/rebrand.ly\/59825b).\n\n## Most Popular\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe\/)\n\n### [Thanks for subscribing to GZERO's newsletters\\!](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe\/thanks-for-subscribing-to-gzeros-newsletters)\n[GZERO Staff](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/gzeromedia)\n\nDec 13, 2023\n\n[![Where US tariffs stand one year after Liberation Day](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/where-us-tariffs-stand-one-year-after-liberation-day)\n\n[Graphic Truth](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/)\n\n### [Where US tariffs stand one year after Liberation Day](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/graphic-truth\/where-us-tariffs-stand-one-year-after-liberation-day)\n[Riley Callanan](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/rileycallanan)\n\n[Natalie Johnson](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/natalie-johnson)\n\n[Eileen Zhang](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/eileen-zhang)\n\nApr 02, 2026\n\n[![Viktor Orbán's last stand, and the future of Europe's far right with Ivan Krastev](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/podcast\/gzero-world-podcast\/viktor-orban-s-last-stand-and-the-future-of-europe-s-far-right-with-ivan-krastev)\n\n[GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/podcast\/gzero-world-podcast\/)\n\n### [Viktor Orbán's last stand, and the future of Europe's far right with Ivan Krastev](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/podcast\/gzero-world-podcast\/viktor-orban-s-last-stand-and-the-future-of-europe-s-far-right-with-ivan-krastev)\n[GZERO Staff](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/gzeromedia)\n\nApr 04, 2026\n\n[![Russia’s two main oil export locations that have come under attack account for more than 40% the country’s seaborne crude export capacity.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/hard-numbers\/hard-number-ukraine-rips-into-russias-oil-windfall)\n\n[Hard Numbers](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/hard-numbers\/)\n\n### [Hard number: Ukraine rips into Russia’s oil windfall](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/hard-numbers\/hard-number-ukraine-rips-into-russias-oil-windfall)\n[Natalie Johnson](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/natalie-johnson)\n\nApr 07, 2026\n\n[![Russian President Vladimir Putin ](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/is-putin-still-soviet-wrong-question)\n\n[Analysis](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/news\/analysis\/)\n\n### [Is Putin still Soviet? 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The top line? At an event noticeably scripted to heap flattery on Donald Trump, alliance members agreed to the US president’s demand they boost military spending to 5% of GDP over the next decade. Trump appeared pleased and now says he fully supports NATO’s Article 5 collective defense \\[...\\]\n\n### [Hard Numbers: Canada tracks illegal Iranians, US slashes pro-democracy programs, small town sees last graduate, bear goes to the dentist](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/hard-numbers-small-town-sees-last-graduate-canada-tracks-illegal-iranians-and-more)\n[Riley Callanan](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/rileycallanan)\n\nJun 26, 2025\n\n[![A Canadian border services superintendent, stands at the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) border crossing with the United States in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada ](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/hard-numbers-small-town-sees-last-graduate-canada-tracks-illegal-iranians-and-more)\n\nA Canadian border services superintendent, stands at the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) border crossing with the United States in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada\n\nREUTERS\n\n115: Canada’s border agency has opened at least 115 investigations into how suspected agents of Iran were able to enter Canada despite being banned from the country since 2022. Three individuals have been given deportation orders, and another has already been removed from the country. \\[...\\]\n\n### [Graphic Truth: The Trump effect on Canada’s US-bound exports](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/the-trump-effect-on-canadas-us-bound-exports)\n[Lizzy Yee](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/lizzy-yee)\n\n[Ari Winkleman](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/u\/ariwinkleman)\n\nJun 26, 2025\n\n[![Graphic Truth: The Trump effect on Canada’s US-bound exports](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/gzero-north\/the-trump-effect-on-canadas-us-bound-exports)\n\nThe US-Canada relationship has hit new lows since US President Donald Trump took office in January. In the early weeks of his presidency, he not only threatened to annex Canada, but Trump also imposed hefty tariffs on key Canadian exports, including auto parts and metals, triggering a trade war across one of the most commercially integrated \\[...\\]\n\nLoad More\n\n[ABOUT](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/about-gzero)[About GZERO Media](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/about-gzero)[Media Kit](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/media-kit)[Events](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/events)[Careers](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/careers)\n\n[CONTACT](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/contact-us)[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/contact-us)[Press](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/press)\n\n[NEWSLETTERS](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe)[GZERO Daily](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe)[GZERO Daily by Ian Bremmer](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe)\n\nFOLLOW\n\n[![GZERO Media](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 0 0'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/)\n\n[Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.eurasiagroup.net\/legal-notices)[Accessibility](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/accessibility)[Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.eurasiagroup.net\/terms-of-use) [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/contact-us)\n\n© 2026 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved \\| A Eurasia Group company.\n\n### GZERO Daily: our free newsletter about global politics\nKeep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.\n\n[Sign Up](https:\/\/www.gzeromedia.com\/subscribe)\n\n![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?cv=2.0&cj=1&c1=2&c2=36881359&c6=GZERO%20North&c8=Elon%20Musk%20and%20the%20Political%20Power%20of%20Young%20Men&cs_fpid=&cs_fpit=lo)","attrs_readable_markdown":"There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs).\n\nNumbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men.\n***\nIn this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away.\n\nIn particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect.\n\nEnter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”\n\nMusk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https:\/\/ca.news.yahoo.com\/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting.\n\nSo, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer.\n\nHis publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career.\n\nTo study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https:\/\/substack.com\/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close.\n\n“68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack.\n\nWhy? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.”\n\nBut does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election?\n\n“Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me.\n\n“Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.”\n\nThis is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live.\n\nYMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week.\n\nWho else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson.\n\n“Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \\[male\\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.”\n\nThe views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI\/YouGov poll.\n\nAbout half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.”\n\n**Too many social norms and rules** is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men.\n\nFor this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity.\n\nThe poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one?\n\nBut the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.”\n\nThis finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.\n\nSelecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context.\n\nThey know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck.\n\n“Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.”\n\nAs Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell . Numbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men. In this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away. In particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect. Enter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” Musk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “ Chainsaw ” Elon to do some government clear-cutting. So, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer. His publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career. To study those people, a group called the Young Men’s Research Initiative just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close. “68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack. Why? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.” But does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election? “Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me. “Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.” This is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live. YMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week. Who else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson. “Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable [male] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.” The views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI/YouGov poll. About half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.” Too many social norms and rules is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men. For this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity. The poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one? But the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.” This finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Selecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context. They know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck. “Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.” As Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?
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Get our latest updates and insights delivered to your inbox. Enter your email Sign Up Puppet Regime is up for a Webby Award! [VOTE HERE](https://wbby.co/58950N) 1. [GZERO North](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/) \> [GZERO North](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/) # Elon Musk and the Political Power of Young Men ![ Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X,. ](https://www.gzeromedia.com/media-library/elon-musk-chief-executive-officer-of-spacex-and-tesla-and-owner-of-x.jpg?id=53376734&width=1200&height=799) Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X,. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo/File Photo [![Evan Solomon]()](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/evansolomon) By [Evan Solomon](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/evansolomon)August 15, 2024 Evan Solomon Evan Solomon is a Member of Parliament in Canada's House of Commons, representing the Toronto Centre consitituency. From 2022 through March 2025, he was the publisher of GZERO Media and a member of Eurasia Group’s Management Committee. Evan has been one of Canada’s preeminent journalists for more than 25 years. Prior to joining GZERO, he was the host of CTV’s nightly political program "Power Play" and of Canada’s most-watched political TV show, the Sunday morning "Question Period." He also hosted "The Evan Solomon Show," a daily iHeartRadio/Bell Media radio program. Earlier in his career, he co-founded the pioneering Shift Magazine, an international digital culture magazine, and was the founder of the Sirius XM show and podcast "Everything is Political." He has also hosted the PBS series "Masters of Technology" and CBC shows such as "Power and Politics," "CBC News: Sunday," "The House," and "FutureWorld." Evan has reported on events from around the world, covering Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and he has interviewed key political figures, from prime ministers and presidents to the Dalai Lama. Evan’s best-selling books include "Fueling the Future: How the Battle Over Energy is Changing Everything" and "Feeding the Future: From Fat to Famine, How to Solve the World’s Food Crisis.” He has also been a columnist for Macleans and The Globe and Mail. [See Full Bio](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/evansolomon) Trending Stories [![An aerial view of the Pasadena Refining System, Inc., in Pasadena, Texas, from 2017.](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/why-does-the-us-import-oil-despite-producing-enough-for-its-needs) ### [Why does the US Import oil despite producing enough for its needs?](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/why-does-the-us-import-oil-despite-producing-enough-for-its-needs) [![Graphic Truth: Military might, Canada vs. US](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-military-might-canada-vs-us) ### [Graphic Truth: Military might, Canada vs. US](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-military-might-canada-vs-us) [![Graphic Truth: The North American gun divide](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-the-north-american-gun-divide) ### [Graphic Truth: The North American gun divide](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-the-north-american-gun-divide) [![Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters, announcing that he intends to step down as Liberal Party leader and prime minister from his Rideau Cottage residence in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 6, 2025.](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/justin-trudeau-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-golden-boy) ### [Justin Trudeau: The rise and fall of a political golden boy](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/justin-trudeau-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-golden-boy) [![Graphic Truth: Most successful ice hockey teams](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-most-successful-ice-hockey-teams) ### [Graphic Truth: Most successful ice hockey teams](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-most-successful-ice-hockey-teams) [![Graphic Truth: The rising cost of US elections](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 600 600'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-the-rising-cost-of-us-elections) ### [Graphic Truth: The rising cost of US elections](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/graphic-truth-the-rising-cost-of-us-elections) There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs). Numbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men. * In this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away. In particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect. Enter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” Musk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting. So, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer. His publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career. To study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https://substack.com/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close. “68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack. Why? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.” But does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election? “Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me. “Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.” This is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live. YMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week. Who else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson. “Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \[male\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.” The views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI/YouGov poll. About half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.” Too many social norms and rules is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men. For this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity. The poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one? But the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.” This finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Selecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context. They know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck. “Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.” As Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024? 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What then?](https://www.gzeromedia.com/by-ian-bremmer/viktor-orban-will-probably-lose-what-then) Apr 08, 2026 [![The United States President Donald Trump holds a Press Conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 6, 2026 in Washington DC. ](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/trumps-new-ultimatum-for-iran) ### [Trump’s new ultimatum for Iran](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/trumps-new-ultimatum-for-iran) Apr 07, 2026 ## Discover More There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs). Numbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men. * In this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away. In particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect. Enter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” Musk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting. So, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer. His publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career. To study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https://substack.com/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close. “68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack. Why? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.” But does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election? “Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me. “Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.” This is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live. YMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week. Who else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson. “Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \[male\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.” The views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI/YouGov poll. About half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.” Too many social norms and rules is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men. For this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity. The poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one? But the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.” This finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Selecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context. They know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck. “Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.” As Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024? From Your Site Articles - [Debate Bingo, VP edition: Tim Walz v. JD Vance - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/us-election/debate-bingo-vp-edition-tim-walz-v-jd-vance) - [Canada's fight with India over Sikh assassination heats up again - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/ask-ian/canadas-fight-with-india-over-sikh-assassination-heats-up-again) - [2024's top 10 geopolitical game changers - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/top-10-geopolitical-game-changers-of-2024) - [Will Elon Musk be good for America? - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-clips/will-elon-musk-be-good-for-america) - [The rise of Elon Musk's DOGE under Trump - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/video/gzero-world-with-ian-bremmer/the-rise-of-elon-musk-doge-under-trump) - [Inside Elon Musk and DOGE's "revolutionary" push to reshape Washington, with WIRED's Katie Drummond - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/gzero-world-podcast/elon-musk-doge-revolutionary-push-to-reshape-washington) - [Elon Musk's political donations in 2024 - GZERO Media ›](https://www.gzeromedia.com/graphic-truth/elon-musks-political-donations) ## More For You ### [What We’re Watching: Separatists go bust, Canada goes social, US readies tax retaliation](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/what-were-watching-separatists-go-bust-canada-goes-social-us-readies-tax-retaliation) [Stephen Maher](https://www.gzeromedia.com/u/stephenmaher) Jun 26, 2025 [![Alberta sovereigntists and supporters gather outside the Alberta Legislature on May 3, 2025.](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1245 700'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/what-were-watching-separatists-go-bust-canada-goes-social-us-readies-tax-retaliation) Alberta sovereigntists and supporters gather outside the Alberta Legislature on May 3, 2025. 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In the early weeks of his presidency, he not only threatened to annex Canada, but Trump also imposed hefty tariffs on key Canadian exports, including auto parts and metals, triggering a trade war across one of the most commercially integrated \[...\] Load More [ABOUT](https://www.gzeromedia.com/about-gzero)[About GZERO Media](https://www.gzeromedia.com/about-gzero)[Media Kit](https://www.gzeromedia.com/media-kit)[Events](https://www.gzeromedia.com/events)[Careers](https://www.gzeromedia.com/careers) [CONTACT](https://www.gzeromedia.com/contact-us)[Contact Us](https://www.gzeromedia.com/contact-us)[Press](https://www.gzeromedia.com/press) [NEWSLETTERS](https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe)[GZERO Daily](https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe)[GZERO Daily by Ian Bremmer](https://www.gzeromedia.com/subscribe) FOLLOW [![GZERO Media](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 0 0'%3E%3C/svg%3E>)](https://www.gzeromedia.com/) [Privacy Policy](https://www.eurasiagroup.net/legal-notices)[Accessibility](https://www.gzeromedia.com/accessibility)[Terms of Use](https://www.eurasiagroup.net/terms-of-use) [Contact Us](https://www.gzeromedia.com/contact-us) © 2026 GZERO Media. 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Readable Markdown	There is no shortage of polls showing that the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is[tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on Will Ferrell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv7Ts4v5_Bs). Numbers in key swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania have gone from a Trump lock to a toss-up or even a small Harris lead. But as the saying goes, you don’t win elections in August. Both campaigns still need to swing large constituencies of voters, and one group is emerging as critical: young men. * In this election, there are roughly 41 million Gen Z voters — people between the ages of 18 and 29, and while Dems have traditionally counted on their support, the war in Gaza and the slow growth economy have turned many of them away. In particular, young men struggling with job prospects and rapidly changing notions of masculinity are seeking a new ideological home that gives them a sense of meaning, support, and respect. Enter Elon Musk. The tech billionaire recently endorsed Trump, but it was their two-hour-long conversation on X this week that formally ended their 2022 feud, during which [Trump called Musk a “bullshit artist” and Musk](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1546669610509799424?ref_src=twsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E1546669610509799424%257Ctwgr%255E743a2da9ea26c805e4ed45723f6253f8949f939f%257Ctwcon%255Es1_&ref_url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/)said it was “time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” Musk has now pulled a JD Vance-level pivot to Trump. He’s even offered to work with the former president on a “government efficiency committee” to make sure federal money is “spent in a good way.” Trump said yes, he was very open to hiring “[Chainsaw](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/elon-musks-chainsaw-strategy-does-165700382.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACXAJJtbkG-yriCR5TE2C_lwlN1_CDo0JBZo_id4y4q2zlXz0JjxRJ_ROj86nyO51rWqyFXtAbE8J-HsGPLJ8gPzqIYm-8QXOjGWQb4Iss6dDqDm_1ufUZxmn_RqlCD6SdRi8QYCFK0jtk3W2pYjx6LdT0AdzjPiHFVTdYz2ct_S)” Elon to do some government clear-cutting. So, how consequential is Elon’s endorsement of Trump? Very. Musk is a modern-day mashup of Thomas Edison and William Randolph Hearst — at once a transformational figure in business and technology but also, now that he owns X, an immensely powerful media influencer. His publicly acknowledged journey from moderate Democrat to MAGA Republican has major appeal to certain voter segments — especially those with a Y chromosome who believe Call of Duty is not just a video game but a possible career. To study those people, a group called the[Young Men’s Research Initiative](https://substack.com/@youngmenresearchinitiative) just ran a YouGov poll of key influencers on American young men between the ages of 18 and 29. They found Musk and X at the top of the list, with the next in line not even close. “68% of young men in our survey said they ‘like’ Musk, among the highest influencers tested,” the YMRI team wrote on their Substack. Why? First off, because of his career. “The survey found that ‘entrepreneur’ was the most admired career among young men, particularly for young Black men.” But does Musk’s popularity among young men really give him the power to turn the election? “Trump’s base is MAGA, but that’s not enough for him to win, so he is appealing to groups that have often been overlooked, particularly young men,” Shauna Daly, a Democrat who helped found YMRI, told me. “Historically, they haven’t turned out in large numbers, but this year they are frustrated, and somewhat organized, thanks to right-leaning influencers and media who are urging them to get out and vote for Trump. Democrats ignore the potential of young men to make a difference in the election at our peril.” This is why Trump undermined his own social media company, Truth Social, and went back to X. Because X marks the spot where these young male voters live. YMRI found that a massive 52% of respondents said they used X in the last week—up from a Change Research poll last year that put the number at just 33%. Even more critically: 64% of young Black men say they’ve used X in the last week. Who else do these young male voters look up to? Far-right, male-chauvinist influencers like Andrew Tate in the UK — where Musk has played a massive role in the unrest surrounding immigration — are highly influential. Fully 27% of respondents say they like and trust Tate’s views, which is surprising since Tate is essentially a UK figure. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also tested, and 36% of young men say they like and trust his views, while 34% say the same about author and polemicist Dr. Jordan Peterson. “Young men’s movement to the right is being fueled by their consumption of right-leaning media and influencers, with little competition from comparable \[male\] figures on the left,” said Daly. “The trust young American men have in Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and others impacts not only their vote choice but also their offline actions, as we have seen in the UK this month, and their views of women.” The views on women are fascinating, and they give some insight into why Trump’s Veep pick JD Vance’s radioactive statements about “childless cat ladies” or Trump’s infidelities don’t seem to have any negative impact on the young Republican base. “38% of the cohort say they have never been in a serious relationship,” according to the YMRI/YouGov poll. About half of respondents agreed with the following statements: “A serious relationship is too big an emotional commitment” and “When it comes to relationships, there are too many social norms and rules for what is expected of someone like me.” Too many social norms and rules** is the key phrase. Trump’s campaign is fueled by a culture war on social norms which posits that everything from a “woke culture” to the “deep state,” from the courts to the education system, are out to curtail or crush the freedoms of young men. For this group, then, the election is about something bigger: the very definition of masculinity. The poll found that most men see key masculine qualities as “protecting your family,” “honesty,” “confidence,” and “helping people who need it,”which is confusing since the same young men don’t seem to want to be in a long-term relationship. How can you protect a family if you don’t have one? But the bigger point is that for these young men, to be a “man” means playing by your own rules — as a maverick business entrepreneur stereotypically does — and projecting “strength.” This finding illuminates why the Democrats, who have focused much of their efforts on suburban women and who rely on the salience of the abortion issue to rally support, are now scrambling to shore up their traditional “male” bona fides with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Selecting a military veteran, football coach, and hunter who sports Carhartt jackets and a camo hat — while defending trans rights and school breakfast for kids — is the Dems’ way of trying to redefine what masculinity means in a progressive context. They know they need to offer young men a place in their party, and they have done a poor job of doing so up to this point. Which is why the Vance-Walz fight over their military service is playing out so openly: Each views it as the strongest card in their masculinity deck. “Republicans believe they own masculinity and are campaigning on a belligerent and domineering version of it,” Daly told me. “But Democrats are embracing a different version, one that is centered on protecting those who need it and fighting back against the bullies trying to diminish the rest of us.” As Kamala Harris heads to the Democratic National Convention next week, aiming to keep her enthusiasm train rolling and make history as the first female president in US history, the Musk-Trump interview has pushed a counter-narrative to the forefront of the election: What does it really mean to be a man in 2024?
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