WASHINGTON —President Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles hosted about 20 media influencers for a private party at the White House this week, a gathering of MAGA favorites as the administration prepares to go all-in on the midterm election.
The influencers ranged from sports personalities to Christian influencers and prominent conservative names. Wiles hosted the event Tuesday night on the private patio off her West Wing office. The president stopped by and stayed more than an hour, chatting and taking questions.
Xaviaer DuRousseau, an influencer known for his transformation from progressive to conservative Republican, said the president told him: “I love your hair and I love you. Great work.”
“I’m black and my president loves me,” DuRousseau said in a video posted on social media about the visit.
DuRousseau, who boasts 2.3 million followers across his platforms, posts about politics and often targets left-wing Democrats, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
The influencers — altogether — reach millions of Americans across their networks on TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
“President Trump has harnessed the power of New Media and social media to cut through the fake news and share his commonsense, America First agenda directly with the American people,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told The Post.
Her message echoed the accomplishments the administration is touting to voters ahead of November’s midterm election, as Republicans seek to keep control of Congress.
“With the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, the lowest crime rate in nearly a century, the border sealed shut, and Americans’ 401(k)s climbing to record highs, the United States of America has never been stronger than under President Trump’s leadership – and the president will continue touting his wins for the American people,” Wales said.
More and more Americans are turning to social media for their news. More than half of US adults get news from social media at least sometimes, the Pew Research Center found.
Trump, going back to the 2024 presidential campaign, has courted digital creators, televangelists, and right-wing commentators to spread his MAGA message.
Benny Johnson, a MAGA favorite with a 16 million following, called the night “remarkable” but refused to detail anything more about the messages other than to note it was a “new Christian revival.”
“More on that soon,” he wrote on X.
Josh Howerton, the pastor at an evangelical megachurch in Texas; Nick Freitas, a former Senate candidate in Virginia; Human Events’ editor Jack Posobiec; comedian George Janko; and young sports influencer Ben Black were in attendance Tuesday night.
Conservative commentator Sara Gonzales, Christian creator Bryce Crawford; actors and influencers Alex and Carlos Pena Vega, and political commentator Jeff Mead also joined the gathering.
Wiles has pushed for greater focus on the upcoming election. She also hosted lawmakers and top Trump world players for meetings to discuss election strategy and messaging.
“A little fun at the White House,” Wiles wrote on X of Tuesday’s event.
“The incredible White House florist and East Wing team transformed my office patio into the most beautiful setting for a gathering,” she added: “POTUS stopped by, stayed for over an hour, and had a great time answering questions. It was a fun and very special night!”
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