USA, — Adin Ross, the most-followed personality on the streaming platform Kick, has recently garnered significant attention following a 90-minute livestream interview with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, according to a report from NBC.
Known for his controversial behavior and high-profile collaborations, Ross' interview with Trump reached over 580,000 viewers at its peak, making it the third most concurrently viewed live stream on Kick this year.
Who is livestreamer Adin Ross?
Ross is a 22-year-old influencer who rose to fame through his energetic and often controversial livestreams. Initially gaining popularity on Twitch, Ross was banned from the platform for using homophobic slurs and allowing racist and anti-Jewish messages to appear in his live chat, despite being Jewish himself. Additionally, NBC reported that Ross had displayed pornographic images during his streams and promoted gambling to an audience that included young boys.
Kick, the platform where Ross now streams, is known for having fewer rules and less strict enforcement compared to Twitch. This has allowed Ross to continue his controversial content, which includes plans to interview high-profile and divisive figures.
In December 2022, Jewish and anti-hate organizations spoke out against Ross’ planned interview with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, who made anti-Jewish comments during a phone call with Ross. Ross ultimately canceled the interview.
Ross is also closely associated with influencer Andrew Tate, who has been arrested on rape and human trafficking charges. Ross hinted at Tate’s plans to leave Romania during a livestream, which precipitated Tate's arrest. Tate is known for his misogynistic comments and has a substantial following among young men.
Why is Ross in the news this week?
In a recent interview, Trump discussed his relationships with world leaders and reacted to images of other politicians and people, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who Trump called “New-scum.”
Trump then received gifts from Ross, according to NBC:
- Tesla Cybertruck with decorative wrap showing a picture of Trump after he was shot at during an assassination attempt in July
- A $300K Rolex
These gifts led to online speculation about potential violations of Federal Election Commission rules.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign responded to Trump’s interview with Ross by posting clips of Trump’s comments on Venezuela and his insults toward a journalist at the National Association of Black Journalists conference.
