Donald Trump Jr. has been posting video content for nearly two years on Rumble, an online platform he says offers a "level playing field" for conservatives. Now he's apparently made his relationship with the portal more official: Axios reports Trump Jr. has signed a seven-figure contract with Rumble for a multiyear podcast deal. Triggered With Don Jr., which Axios calls an "homage" to his 2019 book of similar name, will air twice a week starting the week of Jan. 23, though that schedule could end up expanding. The podcast will hew close to what Trump Jr. already does on the video network, which is pontificate on the news of the day, with plans to also feature guest interviews.
Axios notes that although Rumble, which went public in September via a blank-check deal, is a smaller-scale platform than YouTube or Instagram, it still reported a November average of 71 million global monthly users, with 57 million of those in the US and Canada. The platform has been trying to lure in big names with exclusive deals, including comedian Russell Brand, journalist Glenn Greenwald, and now Trump Jr. The former president's son already has one of Rumble's largest followings, with more than 1 million subscribers—and the company is hoping podcasts like his help boost its bottom line, which at the moment is mainly supported by advertising.
"I view our podcasts as something that won't just compete with other podcasting networks, but will also compete with traditional linear television in the long term," Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski tells Axios. Trump Jr., meanwhile, is pleased to be embarking on a venture with a platform he says prioritizes free speech. "While other Big Tech companies are focused on censoring dissent, Rumble is building a platform that welcomes it, which is why so many content creators—all over the political spectrum—are now joining them," he says. (More Donald Trump Jr. stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
