This article has been updated to include more context.

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for president, recently participated in a nearly three-hour long discussion with popular podcaster Joe Rogan, covering a range of topics from alien life to election meddling.

As the presidential election approaches, Trump’s appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” is a strategy by his campaign to connect with young, undecided male voters. Rogan’s podcast, which boasts 14.5 million followers on Spotify, primarily attracts a male audience, with over 80% of listeners being men and 56% below the age of 35, as per a 2026 YouGov survey.

During the interview, Trump attempted to engage this crucial demographic by referencing the UFC, making jokes, and discussing his intentions to remove taxes.

Rogan did not challenge Trump much about his policies, even expressing enthusiasm about the idea of Trump collaborating with Robert Kennedy, a former candidate who has since backed Trump.

Earlier in his campaign, Rogan had shown support for Kennedy while he was running as an independent. Kennedy eventually withdrew from the race to endorse Trump.

Vice President Kamala Harris had considered joining Rogan’s podcast, but her team later stated it wouldn’t work out due to scheduling conflicts. Rogan mentioned that he remains hopeful about Harris possibly appearing on the show.

Here’s a summary of the most significant moments from Trump’s lengthy talk with Rogan.

Are Aliens Real?

Rogan posed the question about Trump’s knowledge of alien life during his presidency. Trump mentioned that he had spoken to pilots who reported seeing unusual aerial objects.

“There’s no reason to dismiss the idea that Mars and other planets might harbor life,” Trump stated. Rogan countered by noting that the U.S. has explored Mars through probes and rovers for years, yet no conclusive evidence of life has been found.

When Rogan expressed doubts about evidence of life on Mars, Trump replied, “Perhaps it’s life that we simply don’t understand yet—it might be a different form of life.”

A recent Pentagon report stated there’s no evidence supporting the existence of aliens or extraterrestrial technology on Earth and that there doesn’t seem to be any attempt to conceal such information by the government.

Internal Threats vs. Kim Jong Un

Trump reiterated his belief that internal threats to the country, like those posed by certain political opponents, are more concerning than foreign adversaries, particularly focusing on North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

<p“Trump claimed to have had a strong rapport with Kim, noting that he was the first U.S. president to set foot in North Korea.

“I tell people we have a more severe issue with the enemy from within,” Trump remarked. He has previously used the term to refer to various political figures, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff, who is now running for Senate.

Trump’s Tax Proposal: Switching Income Tax for Tariffs

The conversation also covered policy topics such as taxes and environmental issues.

At one point, Rogan questioned Trump’s serious intention behind his idea to eliminate income taxes in favor of tariffs.

Trump responded: “Of course, why not?”

Trump has suggested going back to a time before 1909 when there was no federal income tax. During a podcast with Rogan, he expressed admiration for former President William McKinley, who enacted a law in 1890 that raised tariffs on foreign goods to about 49%.

However, some economists believe McKinley’s tariffs contributed to the U.S. government facing a deficit and a depression shortly after in 1893.

Currently, replacing income tax with tariffs could lead to a significant rise in the federal deficit. In 2023, the federal government gathered nearly $2.18 trillion from income taxes, making up about 49% of its total income. Trump’s tariffs are projected to bring in around $300 billion annually – roughly nine times less than what is collected from income taxes.

Trump reiterates 2020 election allegations

During the interview, Rogan echoed Trump’s claims regarding “many crooked dealings” in the 2020 election and questioned Trump about how he felt he was wronged, stating, “Everyone always interrupts you.”

Initially, Trump suggested he would prefer to discuss it “another time,” promising to provide “numerous documents” to support his views. However, when Rogan pressed him for specific instances of election interference, Trump reverted to previously debunked allegations against state governments and instances of fraud.

Rogan questioned whether Trump intended to ever present tangible evidence of interference, but the conversation shifted to Hunter Biden, who was found guilty on three felony charges in a gun-related trial.

Trump and Rogan also delved into unproven worries regarding mail-in voting and potential issues with voting machinery.

“Let’s discuss the possible vulnerabilities in elections and election fraud. One issue is mail-in ballots. Another is the potential for someone to hack into voting machines,” Rogan mentioned.

The use of mail-in voting has increased since the 1980s and was further expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, incidents of mail-in voter fraud are minimal, as all mail-in ballots are verified and linked to eligible voters.

Voting machines, which have been in use for decades, have also faced scrutiny. While older models have raised hacking concerns, election officials assert that accomplishing such a breach would be challenging.

Reiterating critiques of Kelly and Bolton

During his chat with Rogan, Trump indicated that his “greatest mistake” while in office was appointing certain individuals he “shouldn’t have selected” for positions in the White House and his cabinet.

Specifically, Trump referred to John Kelly, his former chief of staff and ex-Secretary of Homeland Security, and John Bolton, who served as his National Security Adviser.

Kelly has claimed in interviews with the New York Times that Trump exhibited fascist-like tendencies and has confirmed anecdotes of Trump speaking positively about Adolf Hitler. Kelly reported that Trump “commented multiple times that, ‘You know, Hitler did some good things, too.’”

Bolton has stated that reelecting Trump poses “risks.”

In response to these claims, Rogan downplayed accusations regarding Trump’s statements about Hitler.

He told Trump: “They constantly labeled you as a serious threat to democracy and Hitler. They kept insisting you were going to become a dictator, ignoring the fact that you weren’t a dictator during your entire four-year presidency.”

Trump affirmed that he was “the complete opposite of a dictator.”