Michigan Senate candidate El-Sayed defends Hasan Piker, slams Joe Rogan

Michigan Democrat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for U.S. Senate, doubled down on his decision to campaign with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker while taking a swing at podcaster Joe Rogan.

When asked whether he would disavow Piker’s controversial statements, El-Sayed declined, and instead took aim at Rogan.

“I’m not here to disavowed people’s views. I’m here to have a conversation about how to get money out of politics, put money back in pockets, and pass Medicare for all. That’s the conversation that folks are here to listen to,” El-Sayed said. “This whole gotcha game, platform policing, cancel culture, I thought we were over it. I thought that we lived through the whole discourse of ‘should have gone on Rogan,’ and there’s a lot that I would look at, but Rogan said that I’d disavow, and I’d still go on his show.”

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It is unclear whether El-Sayed has been asked to appear on Rogan’s podcast. However, the Michigan Democrat has previously spoken about the regret that some expressed after then-Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election, with many saying that she should have agreed to appear on Rogan’s show. Many credited President Donald Trump’s willingness to appear on unconvential podcasts such as “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Flagrant” for his win, saying the interviews helped him reach a wider audience.

Rogan has been painted as a controversial due to his political views and statements on health issues, such as his stance on the COVID-19 vaccination. He was criticized for using Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19, with many critics referring to the medication as a horse dewormer.

“The Joe Rogan Experience” is the number one podcast on Spotify, followed by “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” and “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von.”

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El-Sayed made the argument about Piker that many made about Rogan, saying that the Twitch streamer could help him reach a wider and younger audience. He scheduled two appearances with the streamer, which took place at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

Piker is no stranger to controversy. The Twitch streamer has faced backlash for comments that many have claimed are anti-American and antisemitic. Piker, who was raised a Muslim, has repeatedly rejected claims he is antisemitic and often says he has used his platform to fight it despite what critics say about his rhetoric.

The Twitch streamer infamously said that “America deserved 9/11,” though he later said the remark was “inappropriate.” He was later criticized for downplaying mass rapes carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, saying it “doesn’t matter if f—— rapes happened on October 7. It doesn’t change the dynamic for me.”

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Piker has recently become a point of division within the Democratic Party. Some candidates have chosen to campaign with him while others warn that legitimizing him gives Republicans political fodder. El-Sayed faced criticism when his events with Piker were announced, with ADL Michigan Regional Director Elyssa Schmier calling the decision “another example of the growing normalization of extreme anti-Zionism in mainstream spaces.”

Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s team and Rogan’s representatives for comment.