Young men can spot 'fake' as Trump’s support 'comes apart at the seams': military expert

Young men can spot 'fake' as Trump’s support 'comes apart at the seams': military expert
Paul Rieckhoff, founder, CEO and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (YouTube Screengrab)

Paul Rieckhoff, founder, CEO and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (YouTube Screengrab)

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Surveys and interviews keep shredding the idea that President Donald Trump built a lasting base with American white youth, according to Powers that Be podcast host Peter Hamby.

Hamby told MS NOW anchor Katy Tur that young men in interviews now reveal severe “trust issues” with Trump, particularly in relation to his new Middle Eastern war.

“They were worried about foreign wars. They were worried about being drafted. Maybe that sounds silly, but Trump won in part and built a coalition of young men, Hispanics, college educated white men, independent voters on top of MAGA, based on ending foreign wars and refocusing commitments over here,” said Hamby, citing “Austin,” a 26-year-old white man who voted for Trump in Pennsylvania.

When asked about Trump’s attack on Iran Austin said, “just leave them be and let them choose whoever they want [as leader].” And when asked about regime change, he said: “why we got to put our noses in it, bro? For real? How about we worry about our own economic BS?”

“Welcome to politics, bro,” said Paul Rieckhoff, founder, CEO and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “… [I]t's important to note that today is the anniversary of the Iraq war. And we got the Iraq war a present for its birthday: a whole new war. And now we've got a generation of young people who understand maybe a bit more that it's not a video game, that it's real.”

“They've been in their mom's basement playing Call of Duty and maybe not trekking on politics, or maybe buying what Trump was pushing, and now he's actually saying ‘draft,’” said Rieckhoff. “[A]t the same time, that same demographic can't afford gas, is having a hard time finding a job, can't afford a house, and they see $1 billion a day being spent in Iraq.”

Rieckhoff added that Trump has “never been cool,” and whatever cool points he got with youth he glommed from podcasters and influencers like Joe Rogan.

“He's an 80-year-old guy who's never served [in the military] himself, who's really out of touch with a lot of the culture, and now you're seeing that come apart at the seams,” Rieckhoff told MS NOW anchor Katy Tur. “… I think young people, and young men especially, know a fake when they see it and they can see the split screen … And it is blowing up in their face with young people.”

Young men spot the 'fake’ as Trump’s support ‘comes apart at the seams’ youtu.be

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