Trump's digital, online influencer campaign outsmarted the 'political class,' according to Van Jones.

Van Jones, a former Obama adviser, cautioned the political elite that their winning strategies are no longer effective in swaying the American public.

At the New York Times DealBook summit, political figures discussed the reasons behind the Harris campaign's failure and how the Trump campaign capitalized on the changing media landscape. Jones asserted that Trump's victory was a reflection of the American people's growing discontent with both political parties' leadership.

"I want to talk real," he said as he turned to Republicans on the panel. "You guys shouldn't be as happy as you are because, in 2016, people voted for change because they were fed up and sick of it, gave Trump a chance. In 2020, people voted for change because they were sick of Trump. In 2024, they're probably gonna vote for change a bunch more times because, something is off, man."

He added, 'There's something really going wrong for real everyday working folks in this country, and I'm not sure either party has an answer yet. We know how to beat each other up when the other one is in power, but can we solve any of these problems?'

The political class is disconnected from real-world experience, according to the CNN commentator, who believes his expertise is a result of his own experiences.

"I was on the ground supporting voters in Philadelphia and helping Jewish voters get to the polls in the Philly suburbs. Despite my experience, I believe the entire political class is way off," he warned.

While many initially scoffed at the Trump campaign's unusual approach of targeting internet influencers, this tactic is no longer being mocked.

"Digital is the new way to reach people, and you need to understand that," he emphasized. "We were amused by Donald Trump's decision to halt his door-knocking campaign and let Charlie Kirk and Elon take over online. We exclaimed, 'These guys are idiots! These guys are foolish!'"

As you approach the doors, you'll notice that people are always holding their phones. They're constantly surrounded by a 24-hour digital environment that has nothing to do with CNN or any of the news we produce.

Jones remembered that his own expectations were shattered when he asked his teenage son who the most influential people in the world are today. He thought he would hear former President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Jay-Z, but instead discovered that online video-game streamers like Kai Cenat, Adin Ross, Jynxzi, and Sketch had taken over on platforms he had never heard of like Twitch, Kik, and Rumble.

The political commentator contended that Trump and his campaign had already mastered the evolving rules of American politics before the rest of the political establishment.

Jones stated, "The mainstream is now considered fringe, while the fringe has become mainstream. There are numerous platforms and individuals achieving 14 million streams, while we, on cable news, receive only 1 or 2 million. This highlights the vast world beyond our current perspective."

"Although I don't always agree with her, Kellyanne Conway is correct that Donald Trump understood something that many of us, including Democrats and the entire political class, failed to grasp."