"I feel like I could help a lot of people," says Donaldson. "A lot of people know my face, but don't know my politics."

Donaldson, 31, will be just about be age-eligible to run for president in 2028. Better known by his YouTube persona Mr Beast, Donaldson is best known for his large-scale challenges, ostentatious spending and philanthropy. His YouTube channel currently has 285 million subscribers, making him the most followed individual on YouTube.

"I have a great base to start with - everyone in America already knows who I am and what I'm about. I never could have had my success if I wasn't American - I mean, what other countries would let me deploy people into, like, the wild to survive for a YouTube challenge? But I'm allowed to do that, you know, I'm allowed to find a homeless person on the street and give them a Cybertruck, and I'm allowed to record that and make money off of it. And that's what America is all about, that kind of freedom. You know, it doesn't matter who you are, if you're rich or poor or white or black, anyone is allowed to start a business. Anyone could be like me, you know? I worked hard to earn my money, and I deserved it, and anyone could do that."

    • BabyTurtles [none/use name]
      ·
      9 days ago

      Universal Basic Income - but you have to film yourself doing a Mr Beast challenge every week to get it. The challenges get progressively harder over the course of his term.

    • Nora@lemmy.ml
      ·
      9 days ago

      Oh thank fuck. I was starting the get a little terrified at the end.

  • BelieveRevolt [he/him]
    ·
    9 days ago

    Giving a billion dollars to random people on the street would at least be better than giving it to Israel.

    • Hexamerous [he/him]
      ·
      9 days ago

      Mr Beast in Chief: "We put an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, for every hour you stay on the ship you get free healthcare for a year!!"

  • D61 [any]
    ·
    9 days ago

    Step away from the lathe!

  • DivineChaos100 [none/use name]
    ·
    9 days ago

    "but don't know my politics." sold this being fake, the dude has "libertarian" tattooed on his forehead.

  • OgdenTO [he/him]
    ·
    9 days ago

    I hate that it took me a long time to realize which comm this was in. Too real

  • Hexamerous [he/him]
    ·
    9 days ago

    You know, it doesn't matter who you are, if you're rich or poor or white or black, everyone has to pay the same price for life essential necessities costing tens of thousands of dollars.

  • Dessa [she/her]
    ·
    9 days ago

    Sure, why not? I'm at a point where I'll just vote weird to see what happens

  • mar_k [he/him]
    ·
    9 days ago

    hey if he does this in like 2036 when his base can actually vote he might have a chance

    • alexandra_kollontai [she/her]
      ·
      8 days ago

      keeping relevance among that base for a decade is probably impossible

      if he runs in 2028 we'll have a lot of very funny conversations around the nation where parents mention donaldson and children squeee and do a fortnite dance in response. would be a good way to start some intergenerational conversations.