Why Donald Trump is facing doubts in the ‘manosphere’

Some popular comedians and podcasters who helped fuel Donald Trump’s victory — and the young men who listen to them — have been criticizing the president on multiple fronts.

Justin Centers fits the profile of many younger men who helped power Donald Trump’s political comeback last fall. He’s a 21-year-old autoworker from the Detroit suburbs and was newly eligible to vote in presidential elections — a cross-section of traits Trump aggressively targeted in his bid to reclaim battlegrounds like Michigan. He’s also a longtime fan of Theo Von, the shaggy-haired, free-wheeling comedian and podcast host whose viral interview with Trump last August signaled an emerging political shift among millennial and Gen Z men. Centers ultimately voted for Trump, and Von had a VIP seat at the inauguration. But in recent months, Von has expressed growing dissatisfaction with Trump’s second stint in the White House — sentiments that were echoed by Centers outside Detroit’s Fox Theatre as he waited to catch Von’s stand-up tour. “Completely being honest, I’m a little iffy now,” Centers said of the president. “One of the things I primarily voted for was ‘No new wars,’ and unfortunately, that has been a big lie to my face. So, it’s extremely disappointing to see that.” After losing men under 50 by double digits in 2020, Trump’s campaign made a concerted push to reverse that trend. His outreach included appearances on podcasts and YouTube shows hosted by a growing universe of male comedians, pranksters, streamers and other right-leaning influencers who had cultivated large, loyal followings. The approach paid off and has already spawned copycats in both parties. Lately some of the most influential voices within the so-called manosphere have begun expressing concerns, if not outright regret, with Trump’s return to Washington.