WATCH: CPAC attendees say Trump 'activated' new media conservatism
The Conservative Political Action Conference is an annual meeting of conservative minds to discuss policy and hear from leading voices in the party. CPAC dates back to 1974, but it was Trump's speech in 2017 that ushered the conservative conference into its modern era.
Conservative media has erupted in the Trump years, and CPAC had that evidence on full display this year. Media rows, with space for everyone from legacy mainstream media to independent podcasters, spanned several floors of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, during CPAC 2025.
The Trump administration has embraced this new media landscape, most notably by opening up a coveted "new media seat" in the White House press briefing room for influencers, podcasters, content creators and independent journalists. The White House received thousands of media applications following White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's announcement last month.
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"I think the diversity of new media would be a great addition to the media landscape, and it's been great to see them in the press briefing room, too. I think that all the new conservative influencers who have been utilizing channels like TikTok and Instagram have really connected with the youth, and obviously, that was a new group in terms of demographics that President Trump was able to reach with this election," CPAC attendee Kellie Lynch told Fox News Digital.
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Trump leaned into the podcast space during his 2024 presidential campaign under the advisement of his Gen Z son, Barron Trump. Trump appeared on Theo Von's "This Past Weekend," Joe Rogan's widely popular "The Joe Rogan Experience" and Logan Paul's "IMPAULSIVE." The episodes amassed millions of views each, with as many as 26 million views on Rogan's podcast.
"I was watching Joe Rogan," John Taber, a young CPAC attendee, told Fox News Digital. "I listened to President Trump's interview. I listened to JD Vance's interview with Joe Rogan. I think that really spoke to a demographic that's typically not spoken to by politicians, both Republicans and Democrats. They saw hope in that interview. I think that's why a lot of conservatives flocked over to President Trump."
"It goes to show that Donald Trump was very open about his views. He doesn't hide behind anything, and he went on a podcast not even knowing what was going to be asked of him, and he was able to answer," conservative TikToker Harley Richards added.
"It's a great strategy," CPAC attendee Jacob Lee said. "So many young people today are so hooked on podcasts. They love podcasts. They love Joe Rogan. They love the Nelk boys. They love all of these interactive podcast stars that Kamala Harris and the Democrats didn't really go for a lot. They did go on other podcasts that are kind of inflammatory, in my opinion, but they're not engaging. They're not engaging the younger male voter. I think that's what really put Trump over the top with younger men."
The White House announced an official rapid response account @RapidResponse47 during Trump's first month back in office, led by White House Rapid Response director Jake Schneider. The accounts aggregate key interview moments, share fast facts and create headlines, to highlight Trump's best moments and clip the Democrats' worst.
"I follow the White House Trump Rapid Response, and it provides a great commentary on what's going on, and you can respond to it and debate with people who are not conservative. I find that very useful," Taber said.
"That's where most of the youth group is looking at right now: social media. They don't really get their news from larger news sources most of the time," Lee explained.
Tiffany Cianci, who runs a social media channel called TikTok Town Hall, told Fox that Trump "made his presence known on TikTok and saw the benefits of how it could connect him to his audience," and that during the election cycle, people "realized they wanted that accountability" and "engagement with our politicians."
"Special government employee" Elon Musk uses X to communicate with Americans directly, sharing information about his Department of Government Efficiency in real time. As the owner of X, Musk is the most-followed person on the app with a whopping 218.5 million followers.
"Especially with Elon Musk's purchase of X and the re-platforming of conservatives who had previously been de-platformed when it was Twitter. I think it's been great to see those voices be amplified again, and for free speech to return to X," Lynch said.
"Before, it would have been very difficult to say something, even moderately conservative. Now, I can't scroll on X, you know, two posts deep without seeing something to the tune of conservatism," another CPAC attendee, Daniel McBride, said.
As social media shifts more conservative, legacy media is embracing the change too. Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media, spoke with Fox News Digital on Friday ahead of his CPAC panel about faith, family and the future of media. Recognizing a gap in the industry three years ago, the former Hallmark CEO launched his family-friendly media company.
Abbott, who attended CPAC to meet his audience where they are, said viewers have always enjoyed conservative media but, now, demands are being met by a growing supply of conservative channels.
"I'm not so sure if it's a shift or people now feel free to speak up," Abbott said. "I think back in 2016 or 2017, there was a tremendous fear you could get canceled if you had freedom of speech or if you actually said something that was positive about the administration or about the president or about being conservative. Those values were very much held in contempt."
"Now, with the election and winning in a landslide, clearly, people feel more comfortable expressing what they really think. So, I think that it's not so much a shift, but I think the majority of the country has always been in this camp," Abbott added.
"It was never really liberal-dominated," Bode Brewer, a CPAC attendee from Pennsylvania, echoed. "There was no conservative strength to uplift people that were conservative. The conservatives were always there, they were just never activated."Original article source: WATCH: CPAC attendees say Trump 'activated' new media conservatism
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