Jake Paul Mocks Protesters for 'Not Having Jobs' at Trump Midterm Rally in Ohio; Crowd Goes Mild

Jake Paul criticised anti-Trump protesters during Donald Trump's midterm rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, 12 October, questioning whether demonstrators had jobs. The influencer also criticised the political left and social media commentators during his speech.

Paul travelled with Trump and former NFL head coach Jon Gruden to the rally at the Covelli Centre, where he urged Ohio voters to support Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. His appearance added a celebrity voice to Trump's campaign efforts to rally support for Republicans.

Jake Paul Questions Whether Anti-Trump Protesters Have Jobs

Paul began by criticising protesters opposed to Trump, questioning whether they had jobs while accusing them of spending their time carrying signs. 'I get confused by the left, the protesters. Do they not have jobs? That's all they do, is carry signs around while we're doing the work,' he said.

The influencer appeared to receive a muted response from the crowd, with little audible reaction as he paused for applause. He continued by criticising social media commentators and the political left, saying, 'All they do is talk on Twitter, but Twitter fingers never built a country. Hate has never built a country, and the woke socialist movement that we face has never built a country.' The remarks appeared to draw a stronger reaction from the crowd.

Trump Praises Paul After the Speech

Trump later praised Paul's speech, telling the audience, 'That was very good! I was very impressed. You have to be a little bit careful with Jake. I didn't know exactly what the hell he was going to say!'

Trump added, 'That was very good. Thank you, Jake.'

Jake Paul has openly supported Donald Trump, publicly endorsing him ahead of the 2024 presidential election. His older brother, Logan Paul, interviewed Trump on his Impaulsive podcast in June 2024, months before the election. Logan also attended Trump's inauguration on 20 January 2025.

Jake Paul's Comments at Trump Rally Draw Reactions on Social Media

Some social media users pointed to the irony of Paul's criticism, given his background as an online influencer. One critic wrote, '"Twitter fingers never built the country," says a man whose entire career is posting until a retiree agrees to fight him.'

Another highlighted the perceived irony of Paul's remarks: 'Jake Paul built his whole brand yelling into a camera and posting clips—yet now he's lecturing Ohio about "Twitter fingers" never building anything. The irony is thick.' A third commenter questioned Paul's political rhetoric, writing: 'I don't think he knows what a single one of those words means.'

Paul's appearance reflects his evolution from internet personality to professional boxer and combat-sports promoter. After appearing on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark, Paul continued building his online following before turning to professional boxing in 2020.

Paul has fought high-profile opponents, including Mike Tyson, and co-founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) with Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. The company later expanded into mixed martial arts, with MVP and the Professional Fighters League announcing a merger in July 2026.