Joe Rogan feels betrayed by Trump on immigration
Joe Rogan, one of the most influential voices in American media, is turning on Donald Trump. And the reason cuts deep: immigration raids.
Rogan, who endorsed Trump just hours before the 2024 presidential election, now says he was misled by the man he helped boost into office. The podcaster and UFC commentator, known for giving a platform to anti-cancel culture figures and free speech advocates, is now accusing Trump of betraying the very values he campaigned on.
“We were told there would be…,” Rogan began during a July 2 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, before trailing off and recalibrating. “There’s two things that are insane. One is the targeting of migrant workers, not cartel members, not gang members, not drug dealers, just construction workers showing up at construction sites, raiding them. Gardeners. Like, really?”
His guest, Amjad Masad, the Palestinian founder and CEO of the coding platform Replit, agreed. The two were discussing the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants, especially in the context of escalating tensions over Gaza and political speech on U.S. campuses.
Masad brought up recent reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting Palestinian students and immigrants on flimsy pretenses. “Did you see the video of the Turkish student at Tufts University who wrote an essay?” he asked.
Rogan responded, incredulous: “It was just critical of Israel, right? And that’s enough to get you kicked out of the country?”
The two were referencing growing concern that lawful political speech, especially criticism of Israel, is increasingly being used as grounds for visa cancellations and deportations under Trump’s revived immigration policy. [Continue reading…]