Overview
- Rogan used a new episode of The Joe Rogan Experience with Ari Shaffir to denounce the U.S. campaign in Iran and warn against harming civilians, invoking a hypothetical attack on New York to question the logic of retaliation.
- He paired the critique with comments on Gaza, saying children should not be punished for acts they did not commit and arguing that collective blame leads to more suffering.
- The pushback comes after his April 18 Oval Office appearance where Trump signed an order to speed FDA work on psychedelic therapies, with Rogan later describing their relationship as cordial despite differences.
- At the White House event, Trump joked that Rogan was “liberal,” which Rogan said was in jest, and he later said a tense-looking UFC handshake was simply Trump confirming the psychedelics plan.
- Newsweek and The Independent say his stance reflects a wider split among influential podcasters who once backed Trump, a shift that could erode support with younger male listeners as the Iran confrontation and Middle East wars drive new debate.