Video is circulating online of supporters leaving former President Donald Trump’s rally in Traverse City, Michigan, after the Republican presidential nominee sent a video message announcing he would be several hours late due to filming a podcast episode with Joe Rogan in Texas on Friday.
NBC News reporter Megan Lebowitz posted video to X, formerly Twitter, of a “steady stream of people” leaving the Trump rally around 8:15 a.m. ET. Trump is scheduled to speak at 7:30 pm
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe reported around 8:30 p.m. that a video message from Trump during the flight was shown to rally attendees, in which the former president said “he needs to spend more time with Rogan because he needs to win.” The video adding that Trump’s plane should land around 10 pm ET.
O’Keefe also took a video of a MAGA supporter leaving the venue after ordering the Trump video.
Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung posted on X at 7:19 pm ET, “EPIC: President Trump just wrapped a 3 HOUR episode of the Joe Rogan Podcast! We’re coming now, Michigan.” The post included a photo of Trump walking onto the plane.
Newsweek reached the Trump campaign via email for additional information on Friday.
Trump sat down for an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience as part of a push to reach voters-that is, young men-through nontraditional media circuits, such as streaming platforms and podcasts. Rogan’s shows consistently have the largest audience on platforms like Spotify.
Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly spoken to Rogan’s team about an interview, but her campaign said Thursday that the Democratic presidential candidate would not be able to record one “due to the schedule at this time” of the election.
Trump often takes the stage longer than scheduled at rallies, and his speeches last more than an hour. Harris’s campaign has poked fun at Trump in the past by having supporters leave events early. In a post to social media last week, the Kamala HQ account shared a video showing at least two women leaving a Trump event in Detroit early.
“Members began to leave in the middle of Trump’s rally speech exhausted and confused,” Harris’ campaign account posted.
On Friday, the Kamala HQ account posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, comparing the Harris campaign in Houston to the Trump event in Michigan. The vice president’s meeting focused on reproductive rights issues and featured a performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Beyoncé.
“Joy vs. fatigue,” the Harris campaign wrote in the post, which included a Lebowitz video clip from a Trump rally.
Trump posted to his Truth Social account around 9:45 pm ET on Friday that “the plane has maxed out speed wise, will land in Traverse City, Michigan shortly!”
“You’re coming soon-MAGA2024!” the former president added.
Harris and Trump are caught in the dead heat in Michigan, which is among the few swing states that could tip the outcome of next month’s presidential race. As of Friday, FiveThirtyEight’s tracking found Harris leading by just 0.4 points on average in statewide polls, meaning the race in the Great Lakes State is essentially tied.
Trump is scheduled to hold another rally in Novi, Michigan, on Saturday, the same day the state opens early voting. Harris will also be in Michigan, at a rally in Kalamazoo on Friday afternoon, with former first lady Michelle Obama. On Monday, Harris and Walz held an event in Ann Arbor, where singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers was scheduled to perform.
Update 10/25/24, 10:32 pm ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.