Dean Withers
Dean Withers | |
|---|---|
 Withers at Texas A&M University in 2025 | |
| Born | 2003 or 2004 (age 21–22) |
| Known for | Online political debates |
| Instagram information | |
| Page | |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Genre | Politics |
| Followers | 3.7 million |
| TikTok information | |
| Page | |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Genre | Politics |
| Followers | 7.5 million |
| X information | |
| Handle | |
| Display name | Dean Withers |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Followers | 497.8K |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2023–present |
| Genre | Politics |
| Subscribers | 917k |
| Views | 106.5 million |
| Last updated: August 22, 2026 | |
Dean Withers (born 2004) is an American political commentator and live streamer known for online debates about American politics and social issues.[1][2] He gained wider attention during the 2024 United States presidential election through political debates posted on social media and appearances in Jubilee Media's Surrounded series.[3]
Early life
Withers was born in 2004 and grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado.[1][4] He has described his family and childhood environment as politically conservative and has said that he supported Donald Trump when he was younger, despite being too young to vote at the time.[1][3][5]
Withers has said that his father is an engineer and that his parents divorced during his adolescence. He has also described his family as having experienced financial difficulties while he was growing up.[1] He attended a private Catholic school from preschool through eighth grade and attended church regularly during his childhood.[1]
Withers has said that exposure to opposing political viewpoints contributed to a gradual change in his political beliefs and that he subsequently came to identify with liberal politics.[1][3] He was raised Catholic and has described himself as agnostic as an adult.[6]
Career
After graduating from Grand Junction High School, Withers began posting political content on social media in 2022, discussing subjects including abortion and LGBTQ rights.[1] His content became increasingly centered on live debates with people holding opposing political views.[3]
During the period leading up to the 2024 United States presidential election, Withers appeared in episodes of Jubilee Media's YouTube series Surrounded. He first appeared as one of 25 liberal participants debating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He later appeared as the featured participant in an episode in which he debated 20 supporters of Donald Trump.[3] His participation in the series contributed to increased attention to his social-media presence.[3][5]
Withers subsequently continued producing political commentary and debate content through TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and livestreams.[2]
Response to Charlie Kirk's death
Following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk in September 2025, Withers reacted emotionally during a livestream.[2][7] His reaction circulated widely online and received criticism from some viewers.[7]
Withers later said that although he strongly disagreed with Kirk and considered him a bad person, he did not believe Kirk deserved to die. He also condemned gun violence, describing it as abhorrent.[7][8]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Holtermann, Callie (December 19, 2024). "Could This 20-Year-Old Be One of the Democrats' Bro Whisperers?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- 1 2 3 Tomslee, Don (September 11, 2025). "Dean Withers, Charlie Kirk's rival and liberal commentator's response on his assassination goes viral". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lindsay, Kate (November 13, 2024). "'Woke Teen' Dean Withers Debated 20 Trump Voters at Once. Now He Has a Message for Liberals". GQ. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024.
- ↑ Calkins, Marie. "GJHS grad on path as political influencer". Archived from the original on April 24, 2025. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
- 1 2 Mather, Katie (October 29, 2024). "How a former Trump supporter became YouTube's viral 'woke teen'". Yahoo News. Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ↑ "i'm agnostic now, however i was confirmed at 16, after 12 years of catholic school. i think i have a decent idea". X. May 8, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Scanlan, Rebekah (September 12, 2025). "Anger at 21yo left-wing activist's reaction to Charlie Kirk's death". news.com.au. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Charlie Kirk: Young fans and critics debate his political legacy". BBC News. September 12, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
- 2004 births
- Activists from Colorado
- American agnostics
- American political commentators
- American TikTokers
- American YouTubers
- Former Roman Catholics
- American former Christians
- Liberalism in the United States
- Living people
- People associated with the 2024 United States presidential election
- People from Grand Junction, Colorado