Adin Ross, the most-followed personality on the streaming platform Kick, has recently stirred up considerable buzz with a 90-minute livestream interview featuring former President Donald Trump. According to NBC, the interview, which took place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, captivated a peak audience of over 580,000 viewers, making it the third most-watched live stream on Kick this year.
Who Is Adin Ross?
Adin Ross, 22, is a prominent influencer known for his energetic and often provocative livestreams. He first gained popularity on Twitch, where he faced bans due to his controversial behaviour. Ross was banned for using homophobic slurs and allowing racist and anti-Semitic messages in his chat, despite being Jewish himself. He also faced criticism for displaying pornographic images and promoting gambling to a young audience. Kick, where Ross currently streams, has fewer regulations compared to Twitch, allowing Ross to continue his provocative content and plans to interview other high-profile and contentious figures.
The Livestream Interview
During the livestream, Trump discussed his relationships with global leaders and reacted to images of other politicians. The interview featured an extravagant display of gifts, including a customized Cybertruck and a Rolex watch.
The Cybertruck, adorned with Trump’s campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" and decorated in patriotic colours, was parked outside Mar-a-Lago, creating a striking visual for Ross’ audience. The truck also featured an image of Trump with his fist raised, taken after an assassination attempt at a recent rally.
Trump expressed admiration for both the truck and the watch, remarking, “I think it’s incredible,” and “Wow, that’s so nice,” as he inspected the gifts, according to NYT.
The lavish gifts could pose legal challenges for Trump. A base model Cybertruck costs around $60,990, with high-end versions exceeding $100,000. A custom wrap for the vehicle costs about $4,000, and Rolex watches typically start at $5,000. These extravagant items far exceed the federal campaign contribution limit of $3,300 per election cycle. Brendan Fischer, deputy executive director at Documented, suggested that these gifts could be considered illegal and excessive campaign contributions. Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, stated that they would seek guidance from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on how to handle the situation.
The interview with Ross is part of Trump’s broader strategy to connect with younger, predominantly male, right-leaning voters who form a significant portion of Ross’ fanbase. Trump has increasingly sought to engage this demographic by appearing in interviews with other influencers like Logan Paul and the Nelk Boys, as well as featuring on platforms such as TikTok to reach millions of potential voters.
During the nearly 90-minute interview, Ross avoided confrontation and allowed Trump to freely criticize political opponents, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden. Ross' enthusiastic endorsement of Trump during the live stream even surprised the former president, who praised Ross for his open support.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign responded to Trump’s interview by posting clips of Trump’s comments on Venezuela and his derogatory remarks toward a journalist at the National Association of Black Journalists conference.
