Who’s Your Daddy Now? Trump, Musk, and the Battle for the Bros
Special Edition: The young men who could swing the next election.
The once bromance between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk has turned into a headline generating feud – one I couldn’t sit out. After all, despite the animosity between Trump and Musk over Trump’s “Big Beautiful” tax and policy bill at the center of his administration’s policy agenda, both still hold massive influence, with young men especially.
But amid the bro-vote discourse, we’ve flattened young men into a single stereotype. And in doing so, we’ve missed something bigger: this isn’t just about how young men vote, it’s about how they’re forming identities – political and otherwise – in an era where trust in institutions is dying.
As the chips fall from the Trump Musk saga, it’s important we understand the differences of young male voters and their priorities that could shape the next decade.
While young men backed Trump by a striking 14 points in the 2024 election, there are important distinctions within that bloc, including a sizable cohort who didn’t vote for either presidential candidate.
Many fall somewhere in the middle: moderate, fiscally-focused, more libertarian than MAGA. Some might align with the Barstool Republican vibe – skeptical of institutions, tuned into the culture war, but not fully sold on Trump.
I know these young men personally. They are the guys who respect Musk for his tech innovation and business clout, not necessarily his political takes. Still, they’re listening when he talks about the U.S. deficit, a topic that may not be so sexy in 2025, but looms large for their future. For a generation already anxious about long-term stability, that message hits.
This cohort of young men, the ones who are not loyal to either party or any one particular candidate, may be the most consequential group to keep an eye on, especially ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election.
Based on my research, young men right of center largely fall into three buckets.
Let me break it down:
The loyal Trump/MAGA voter
First, there are the loyal Trump voters who grew up on MAGA, Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA, and yes, TikTok. These young men will stick by Trump no matter what. They’re pro-tariff, pro-immigration enforcement, and believe in the promise of ‘America-First.’ These young men are very anti-establishment, many call themselves populists, and when Trump turned on Musk, so did they. They are true believers in Trump and they don’t mince words when they tell me that. Some say they are even further to the right of the current president, and others, ironically, are anti-billionaire altogether. They may see Musk in that category.
The conservative Republican/Trump skeptic
Next, we have the conservative Republican. These are the traditional College Republicans, perhaps called ‘neocons’ by their MAGA-loving frat brothers. They may have backed Republican alternatives to Trump like Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, or even Ron DeSantis in the early days of the 2024 primaries, before jumping on the Trump-train. Others didn’t even cast a ballot for president in the 2024 election (I spoke with one of those guys this AM). This cohort holds more traditional conservative values – and they care about the national debt. They believe in small government and appreciated elements of DOGE. They may not fully love Musk, but they surely aren’t as loyal to Trump. They want to have a conversation about issues.
As someone in this camp told me this morning, the “little spat” between two of the most powerful men in the world is not furthering progress with regard to any of the country’s most pressing issues.
“Everybody’s too worried about big daddy Trump liking Elon,” he told me. “We put people in office to get stuff done and these days it seems like it’s more about the drama and theatrics than actual results.”
The tech/biz focused with concern for the U.S. deficit and American innovation
Here’s where it gets trickier. There’s a third group of young men squarely focused on tech, business, and American excellence in both. They worry about national debt, and may be frustrated that Trump seems to be further kicking the can down the road with a bill that would add to the national deficit. Many in this group voted for Trump, either because they supported him or because they simply couldn't stomach former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Democratic brand writ large. They were part of the shift right in liberal cities like New York and San Francisco. Many in this cohort admire Musk’s success, and see him as a leading contender for most powerful man in the world over the next 10 to 20 years (not just the next three and a half). They’re sick of political correctness, likely bullish on cryptocurrency and decentralized finance, and tired of an establishment class of politicians who they feel don’t understand today’s biggest problems in order to create sustainable solutions.
Politically homeless, increasingly powerful…
The takeaway: Trump and Musk’s very public breakup isn’t just today’s drama, it’s a window into a generation of young men who feel politically homeless but may decide where the country goes next. One of the most influential voter blocs isn’t fully buying what either side is selling — not from Democrats or the GOP, which is fracturing before our eyes between its two most dominant modern figureheads. What was a unified pitch for the last 18 months (lowering taxes, reducing the deficit, being tough, and pushing back against woke culture) has become a personality contest between Trump and Musk.
I’m watching to see how, and which, young men become even more skeptical and disillusioned by both as this plays out. Through my research, it’s clear to me that Gen Z voters right of center care less about ideology and doctrine, and more about whether their leaders seem skilled at addressing their problems and innovating solutions.