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On 20 January 2025, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, beginning his second term after winning the 2024 election. The ceremony, known as Inauguration Day, will take place in Washington D.C., primarily at the US Capitol.
The new Trump era for America and the world will officially begin, and it is perhaps no coincidence that it coincides with what appears to be the beginning of the decline of the traditional media era.
According to a Gallup poll released a month before the last US presidential election, Americans’ trust in traditional media is steadily declining. Americans continue to experience a record decline in trust in the media, with 31 percent expressing a ‘great deal’ or ‘fair amount’ of trust in the media to report the news ‘completely, accurately and fairly’, similar to last year’s 32 percent. Americans’ trust in the media – such as newspapers, television, and radio – fell to 32 percent in 2016, repeating last year’s decline.
For the third year in a row, more US adults do not trust the media at all (36%) than trust it a great deal or fair amount. A further 33% of Americans express ‘some’ trust.
According to the survey results, a minority of Americans fully trust the media to provide accurate and objective news. The data show a steady decline from previous decades, with many citizens perceiving the influence of political or economic interests in the news.
The causes of mistrust are many and complex, most notably partisanship: there is a widespread perception that the media take political sides, contributing to increased polarization, while an emphasis on eye-catching headlines to attract audiences has often compromised the quality of journalism at the expense of sensationalism.
Polls show that Americans have become increasingly distrustful of the mainstream media. Citizens are increasingly convinced that virtually all the news they are presented with is either fabricated or exaggerated to promote a left-wing agenda. The media’s grotesque dismissal of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and the Democrats during Biden’s presidency and their role as propagandists during the 2024 campaign have permanently cemented this mentality in the majority of the electorate.
Predictably, since 5 November 2024, MSNBC’s prime time ratings have plummeted by 53% and CNN’s by 47%. The network’s evening news ratings continue to plummet, down 50% or 20 million viewers since 1990. Meanwhile, newspaper circulation continues its free fall, having lost almost 70% or 41 million readers since 1990. (By comparison, the US population has grown by almost 90 million since 1990).
Thanks to the innovative tactics of Donald Trump’s campaign, which relied almost exclusively on online platforms. The almost secular dominance of the so-called ‘traditional media’ came to an end with the 2024 presidential election. It also marked the end of their role as ideological supporters and propaganda tools of an increasingly radical American left and Democratic Party.
The analysis: political information influencers dominated the 2024 election campaign
According to an analysis by the Pew Research Center, about 20 percent of Americans – with a significantly higher share among those under 30 (37 percent) – say they regularly get news from influencers active on social media. These content creators are predominantly found on the popular social network X, where 85% of them are concentrated. However, many also use other platforms such as Instagram (used by 50% of them) and YouTube (44%). Influencers who openly identify themselves as supporters of the Republican Party, conservatives or Donald Trump account for 27%, slightly more than those who identify themselves as Democrats, progressives or supporters of Kamala Harris, who account for 21%. Most of these influencers (63%) are men, and 77% have no direct connection or experience with news organizations.
Among Americans who get their information from social media influencers, the majority (65%) believe they have helped to clarify current events and civic issues. In addition, seven in ten say the information they get from influencers is at least partly different from what they get from other sources. Much less common (31%) is the feeling of a personal connection with an influencer.
Most of the news influencers analyzed in this study use X as their main platform, with 85% having an account, compared to 50% using Instagram, the second most popular platform.
At the same time, it is common for influencers to be present on multiple platforms to expand their audience: around two-thirds of news influencers surveyed are active on more than one platform, and 27% are present on five or more sites.
Many influencers also distribute their content through podcasts (34%) or newsletters (22%).
The impact of digital influence has reached new heights in the 2024 US presidential election. The campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have reduced their reliance on traditional media, relying instead on collaborations with influencers to reach a diverse and digitally savvy electorate. From TikTok creators to YouTubers and podcasters, both campaigns recognised the strategic value of engaging individuals who can communicate more directly and effectively than through traditional media channels.
The Trump campaign intensified its targeted use of influencers, working with podcasters and streamers who had large followings and trusted relationships with their audiences. By participating in lengthy debates on widely watched platforms such as Impaulsive with Logan Paul and This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Trump consolidated a connection with his electoral base. These encounters, which often lasted for hours, allowed viewers to feel a more personal connection with Trump, transcending the limitations of classic campaign ads or short media statements.
Trump’s strategy saw influencers not as mere contributors but as key partners, leveraging their cultural influence and offering them exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the campaign. Creators such as the Nelk Boys not only attended events, but were invited on board his private plane, creating memorable moments that were shared with millions of followers. This direct approach turned influencers into authentic supporters who were personally connected to the success of the campaign, achieving a level of engagement that was difficult to achieve with more formal or scheduled interactions.
Traditional media and journalists should pay attention to changes in people’s trust. If trust in news remains as low as it has been in recent decades, understanding the role of influencers is crucial to understanding how people get their information. Regaining the public’s trust will require a transparent and accountable approach that can respond to the demands of a changing information environment.
President Trump is about to be sworn in. The United States continues to suffer from a crisis of trust in many institutions, including the federal government, its three branches, and those who hold or run for public office. Moreover, as we have seen, trust in the media is at an all-time low. Local and state governments, and the American people as a whole, are the only institutions in which more than half of US adults have confidence. Trump will be able to remedy this, starting with measures to ensure institutional transparency through the already announced landmark plan to streamline the bureaucracy. He will engage in constructive dialogue with the media and online platforms as part of a broader framework to reinvigorate civic participation.
Meanwhile, as the decline of traditional media in political information and campaigning continues, the new political battleground is digital, informal and personal. Candidates are discovering that an authentic, unfiltered message resonates best when it comes from a familiar face on a phone screen, helping to set the tone for what is likely to be a permanently altered campaign landscape in US politics.