In a striking public rebuke, influential podcaster Joe Rogan has vehemently criticised former US President Donald Trump's apparent willingness to pursue open conflict with Venezuela. Rogan, who had endorsed Trump late last year, expressed his strong opposition during a pre-recorded conversation with comedian Shane Gillis, which aired on Christmas Day.
A Sharp Critique on Air
The discussion was prompted when Gillis, a 38-year-old former Saturday Night Live star, questioned recent headlines suggesting heightened tensions. A visibly tired Rogan responded unequivocally, stating, "I don't think anybody's going to really support that at all." He added with clear frustration, "It would be a terrible idea." Gillis, who did not vote for Trump in the last election, concurred, bluntly remarking, "Obviously he doesn't give a f**k."
The pair referenced a December 19 report from The Guardian, which Rogan read aloud. The headline stated that Trump and his top aides had "refuse[d] to rule out war with Venezuela" at that point—a position that reportedly remains unchanged. The conversation then turned to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's directive for his navy to escort oil tankers, directly challenging the longstanding US naval presence in the region.
Escalating Tensions and a Growing Rift
This critical commentary comes amid a significant US military buildup in the region this week, involving large numbers of troops and special operations aircraft. Trump defended these actions during a press conference on Monday, where he also announced plans for a new class of warships, named after himself, costing billions in taxpayer funds.
Rogan's latest remarks signify a deepening fracture with the former president, whom he supported during the 2024 election. The rift began to surface in March when Rogan used his platform to lambast Trump's tariffs on Canada as "ridiculous" and dismissed the idea of making Canada a 51st state. He followed this a week later by condemning the administration's deportation policies as "horrific," after reports emerged of innocent people being mistakenly detained and sent to prisons in El Salvador.
A Coalition of Regret
This represents a sharp contrast to the alliance forged before the election, which saw both Trump and Elon Musk appear on Rogan's highly popular show. Notably, Rogan is not alone in his reconsideration. Fellow 'manosphere' comics Andrew Schulz and Tim Dillon, who also backed Trump in 2024, have similarly expressed regret over their endorsements after witnessing the implementation of his conservative policies over the past year.
As the US continues aggressive measures against Venezuela, including seizing oil tankers and conducting military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats, Rogan's vocal opposition highlights a significant schism within a segment of Trump's former media supporters. His platform, one of the world's largest podcasts, serves as a potent megaphone for this disillusionment.
