MMA commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan is attempting damage control after years of promoting right-wing talking points and vaccine skepticism on his massively popular podcast. In a recent episode with comedian Jordan Jensen, the host went to extraordinary lengths to distance himself from labels that have increasingly defined his public persona.
“I’m not even a Republican,” Rogan insisted, despite having voted for Trump and consistently amplifying conservative viewpoints for years.
“I voted for Trump because I thought we were going in a terrifying direction where there was not really a president for four years and the same people are now going to be running the government.”
He claimed he’s “only voted Republican once in my life” and emphasized his past support for Bernie Sanders to bolster his argument. This revisionist take comes as public criticism of his political shift has intensified, particularly following a viral video critique that has garnered nearly 3 million views.
Highlighting his frustration with the tribal nature of modern politics, he said: “I don’t consider myself a Republican. I don’t consider myself a Democrat either. I consider myself an American.”
The podcast host seemed particularly rattled by accusations that his Austin comedy club, The Mothership, has become an alt-right haven. “Someone had called us like some alt-right white supremacist club,” Rogan said, before listing the diverse lineup of comedians who perform there.
His defensiveness suggested the criticism had struck a nerve, especially as he mentioned seeing video content criticizing him that his associates showed him “in the green room.”
Perhaps more tellingly, Rogan also attempted to rebrand his well-documented vaccine skepticism. When pressed about being labeled “antivax,” he quickly deflected: “I’m not an antivax person.”
“I believe that all medications should be subject to scrutiny. They should all go through rigorous double blind placebo control trials to find out what the side effects are, what the efficacy rate is, what’s the real facts behind it,” he said.
However, moments later, he launched into familiar territory, claiming vaccines were ineffective and driven purely by pharmaceutical profits. “They f**ked everybody with that goddamn stupid thing,” he said, referring to COVID vaccines, while simultaneously arguing that unvaccinated people fared better than those who got multiple shots.
The damage control effort appears motivated by growing backlash against Rogan’s political evolution. What began as a podcast known for open-minded conversations with diverse guests has increasingly become a platform for conservative grievances and conspiracy theories. His endorsement of Trump, promotion of vaccine misinformation, and platforming of controversial figures like Darryl Cooper have alienated many longtime listeners.
