Days after endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSandis for president, the charter member of the so-called Intellectual Dark Web also pointed out that he is “not a Trump supporter in any way, shape or form.” Speaking with fellow podcast host Lex Fridman earlier this week, Rogan observed that “the Trump era is also going to be one of the weirdest times” in recent history. “When people look back historically at the division in this country, he’s such a polarizing figure that so many people felt they could abandon their own morals and ethics and principles just to attack him and anyone who supports because it is an existential threat. democracy itself,” the UFC commentator continued. After Fridman suggested that Trump was more of a symptom than a cause and that “it’s only going to get weirder,” Rogan noted that the twice-impeached former president is likely to run for the White House again in 2024. At the same time, he said Trump had a good chance to win if he faced President Joe Biden. “Well, he’s running against a dead man, you know? I mean, Biden is shaking hands with people who aren’t even there when he walks off stage. I think he’s seeing ghosts,” Rogan quipped. He also criticized Biden’s recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show, saying the president was “just running around” and that if it was Trump or any other Republican, “every fucking talk show would be screaming to get off the air.” But despite his outspoken criticism of Biden’s performance as president, the star podcaster — who has achieved hero status on the right for his transphobic and anti-vaccine commentary — wanted to make it known that he was no fan of Trump. And that he has repeatedly rejected proposals from the Trump camp. “By the way, I am not a Trump supporter in any way, shape or form,” he declared. “I’ve had the opportunity to have him on my show more than once: I’ve said no, every time. I don’t want to help him. I’m not interested in helping him.” With a whiff of skepticism, Friedman insisted that Rogan would “wear him down,” noting how the host said he’s not interested in politics and is instead interested in having a “good conversation” with his guests. “And I think you had like Kanye, for example, and you had a great conversation with them,” added Fridman, referring to Rogan’s interview with the MAGA-boosting rap superstar. “Yeah, but Kanye’s an artist,” Rogan replied. “Kanye doing well or not doing well – it doesn’t change the course of our country.” Rogan’s outright rejection of Trump and the recent endorsement of De Sandys come as conservatives increasingly abandon the former president amid the explosive Jan. 6 committee hearings. Trump, meanwhile, is reportedly preparing to formally announce a 2024 bid soon in an effort to soften the political damage from the hearings and steal headlines from potential GOP challengers like DeSantis. A spokesman for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
