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

Michigan Democrat Dr. running for U.S. Senate. Abdul El-Sayed doubled down on his decision to campaign with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker while attacking podcaster Joe Rogan.

When asked if he would deny Piker’s controversial statements, El-Sayed declined and instead targeted Rogan.

“I’m not here to dismiss people’s views. I’m here to talk about how to take money out of politics, how to put money back into pockets, how to move to Medicare for all. That’s the conversation people are here to listen to,” El-Sayed said. “I thought we were done with all this gaming, platform policing, cancel culture. I thought we were through the whole ‘we should have gone to Rogan’ thing and there’s so much I’m going to look at, but Rogan said I was going to reject it and go on his show anyway.”

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It’s unclear whether El-Sayed was asked to appear on Rogan’s podcast. But the Michigan Democrat had previously spoken out about the sadness some expressed after then-Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election, with many saying she should have agreed to appear on Rogan’s show. Many credited President Donald Trump’s willingness to appear on unorthodox podcasts such as “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Flagrant” for his victory, saying the interviews helped him reach a broader audience.

Rogan has been portrayed as controversial due to his political views and statements on health issues, such as his stance on the Covid-19 vaccine. He has been criticized for using Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19, with many critics citing the drug as destroying horse worms.

“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.”

Podcaster Joe Rogan talked about how the immigration crisis has escalated, with the Trump administration taking harsh measures after years of millions of illegal immigrants flowing into America. (Joe Rogan Experience)

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El-Sayed echoed the same argument many have about Piker about Rogan, saying the Twitch streamer could help him reach a wider, younger audience. He planned to make two appearances with the broadcaster, at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

Piker is no stranger to controversy. The Twitch streamer faced backlash for comments that many claimed were anti-American and anti-Semitic. Piker, who was raised Muslim, has repeatedly denied allegations that he is antisemitic and has frequently said he uses his platform to combat antisemitism, despite what critics say about his rhetoric.

The Twitch streamer famously said “America deserved 9/11,” but later said the comment was “inappropriate.” He was later criticized for downplaying the mass rapes committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, saying, “It doesn’t matter if the rapes took place on October 7. It doesn’t change the dynamic for me.”

Publisher and creator Hasan Piker attends a press conference on the third day of Web Summit Qatar 2026 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, on February 3, 2026. (Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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Piker has recently become a dividing point within the Democratic Party. While some candidates have chosen to campaign with him, others warn that legitimizing him will give Republicans political support. El-Sayed faced criticism when his incidents with Piker were disclosed, and ADL Michigan Regional Director Elyssa Schmier called the decision “yet another example of the increasing normalization of extreme anti-Zionism in mainstream spaces.”

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