Gen Z Trump Fans at UFC Fight Tell CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan Why They’ve Gone MAGA

CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan took to the streets outside UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden over the weekend to speak with young male supporters of President-elect Donald Trump about why the were drawn to the Republican nominee during the election.

The event, attended by Trump, alongside close advisor Elon Musk, was an opportunity for the journalist to dig in on the president-elect’s younger, digitally influenced political base.

Speaking to four young attendees, O’Sullivan drew some candid responses which shed light on the shifting dynamics of political engagement among Gen Z voters.

“I don’t got no taxes on my tips now. So thank you, Donald Trump. Love you, Pookie,” said one young man, explaining his support for the former president. Standing with his friend, he pointed to economic factors as a key motivator, sharing his frustrations with taxes after years working as a waiter, busser, and bar back.

“All the taxes… They fucked you up, man,” he said bluntly.

When asked where they got their news, the answers veered far from traditional media.

“Joe Rogan, the legend, man. Yeah. But… mostly, like, social media. TikTok. That’s what everything spreads around, man,” said one. His friend echoed the sentiment, dismissing legacy outlets like CNN as relics for older generations.

“None of us kids, like, our age, like, really watch or want to read a fucking newspaper,” he said.

O’Sullivan pressed another attendee on Vice President Kamala Harris’s decision not to appear on Rogan’s podcast: “Probably [a mistake], honestly. I think a long conversational talk is better than a debate. You can see how a person actually interacts. Trump’s good at interacting. He doesn’t need a script.”

For one New Yorker, his political transformation stemmed from what he called a shift in “level of thinking.” Having voted for Obama in the past, he now stands firmly in Trump’s camp and criticized the Democrats for focusing on racism and LGBTQ issues.

“Our kids are important. If we’re not teaching them about credit, about how to get a home… and all we’re talking about is racism and trans and gays… we’re not helping them.”

Watch above on CNN.