Joe Rogan Says RFK Jr. Comments Were 'Not An Endorsement:' I 'Appreciate His Civility And Intelligence'
Joe Rogan had some positive commentary for the nephew of America's 35th president, leading to backlash from Donald Trump's MAGA backers.
The podcaster defended his comments on behalf of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a presidential election independent candidate, but says it shouldn't be confused as an endorsement.
On Thursday's episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' the 56-year-old expressed that both Democrats and Republicans focus too much on the spin, rather than speaking the truth.
HAPPENING NOW: Right-wing X is shredding Joe Rogan for "endorsing" Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his podcast.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 9, 2024
The claim: Joe Rogan endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president.
What Rogan said: "That's politics. They do it on the left. They do it on the right. They gaslight... pic.twitter.com/vkmd4zFBdd
"That's just what they do. That's politics," the former MMA fighter stated. "They do it on the left, they do it on the right, they gaslight you, they manipulate you, they promote narratives... and the only one who is not doing that is Robert F. Kennedy Jr."
"He's the only one that makes sense to me. He's the only one — he doesn't attack people, he attacks actions and ideas, but he's much more reasonable and intelligent. I mean, the guy was an environmental lawyer and he cleaned up the East River. He's a legitimate guy," the podcaster explained.
When MAGA listeners caught wind of his commentary, they were seemingly disappointed. Rogan maintained that his statements — "for the record" — wasn't "an endorsement."
For the record, this isn't an endorsement. This is me saying that I like RFKjr as a person, and I really appreciate the way he discusses things with civility and intelligence.
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) August 9, 2024
I think we could use more of that in this world.
I also think Trump raising his fist and saying... https://t.co/pzkHe9SKVS
"This is me saying that I like RFK Jr. as a person, and I really appreciate the way he discusses things with civility and intelligence. I think we could use more of that in this world," the New Jersey native added. "I also think Trump raising his fist and saying "Fight!" after getting shot is one of the most American [...] things of all time."
The post on Twitter, now X, received a whopping 4.8 million views and drew thousands of comments from fans.
"Most people don't actually care about your endorsement, we want you to have Trump on your platform," one user penned.
"You were asked a question and you answered it off the cuff. I'm not really sure how people took this statement as an endorsement for president," popular commentator Collin Rugg responded.
Rogan's show, exclusive to Spotify, has earned 14.5 million followers as of March. He's known for his reported Libertarian-leaning position, support of queer rights, safe recreational drug use, and belief in universal healthcare.
