- Trump discusses politics, Iran war, and AI in Jake Paul interview.
- Trump says youth outreach and podcasts helped 2024 election victory.
- Trump defends U.S. strikes aimed at preventing Iranian nuclear weapons.
- Interview highlights strategy using online creators to reach younger voters.
US President Donald Trump sat down with YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul on Saturday for a wide-ranging interview that moved from career advice and boxing to the Iran war and immigration using the online platform to speak directly to a younger audience that he said was central to his 2024 election victory.
The exchange opened with Trump offering career guidance, telling young Americans to pursue work they genuinely enjoy but to pay close attention to where the economy is heading. He then singled out artificial intelligence as the standout opportunity of the moment.
Trump also reflected on his own path into politics, telling Paul the decision had been years in the making and that Melania Trump had ultimately pushed him to act. "Do it or don't do it," he recalled her saying. He added: "I had one shot left."
He credited his willingness to engage with digital creators and long-form online media as a key factor in winning over younger voters. "I won with youth," Trump said. "Republicans, for whatever reason, don't do great with youth, and I did unbelievably."
Also Read: Trump Rejects Iran Deal, Claims Gulf Is Now 'United' Against Tehran
Trump said his son Barron was instrumental in that outreach. "Barron said, 'Dad, you gotta do Joe Rogan,'" he told Paul, describing those appearances as important to his campaign communication strategy.
Iran, Nuclear Weapons and 'Wiping Out Evil'
On foreign policy, Trump defended the US military campaign against Iran, framing it in existential terms and linking the decision directly to Tehran's nuclear programme.
Trump also claimed the B-2 bomber strikes had been specifically aimed at preventing Iran from completing a nuclear weapon, saying: "If we didn't do the B2 attack, the B2 was the attack of the nuclear they would have had a nuclear weapon."
He added that his administration was focused on removing violent offenders from the US under its immigration enforcement programme. "We're really looking for the bad ones," he said. "We gotta get the bad ones out."
The interview ended on a lighter note, with Trump praising Paul's boxing record "You really are the real deal" and Paul telling Trump he looked up to his "American story." The exchange was the latest in a series of appearances Trump has made on non-traditional media platforms since returning to the White House, continuing a strategy that his team credits with outperforming Republican norms among younger voters in 2024.
