Joe Rogan is set to interview Donald Trump for his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, in his Austin, Texas-based studio this Friday, according to multiple media reports.
Rogan, the former host of NBC’s mid-2000s reality game show Fear Factor, has approximately 17.5 million YouTube subscribers and 19.3 million Instagram followers. With around 15 million Spotify listeners, he reaches an impressive audience of about 52 million.
Here’s what to know about the relationship between the comedian and the Republican nominee.
Who Is Joe Rogan?
Rogan, originally from New Jersey, is a multifaceted American comedian, podcast host, and mixed martial arts commentator. He first gained fame as a stand-up comedian and as a cast member on the TV show NewsRadio in the 1990s. He later became widely known for hosting The Joe Rogan Experience, his popular podcast that features long-form conversations with a diverse range of guests, including comedians, actors, scientists, and politicians. By 2020, he secured one of the largest licensing deals in the industry with Spotify, where he has continued to dominate the podcasting landscape.
In addition to his podcasting career, Rogan is a prominent commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and has a strong background in martial arts, holding black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Taekwondo.
Why Is Rogan Having Trump on His Podcast?
Trump has never appeared on Rogan’s podcast, and the two have had a complicated relationship. However, Rogan’s team invited both presidential candidates onto the show. While they engaged with Kamala Harris‘ campaign officials, an appearance by the Democratic presidential nominee on the podcast will not take place due to scheduling conflicts.
Is Rogan a Trump Supporter?
Rogan has stated that he doesn’t consider himself a conservative, even describing himself as a “bleeding heart liberal when it comes to a lot of sh*t” during a 2022 episode with comedian Andrew Schulz. He emphasized, “I’m so far away from being a Republican. Just because I believe in the Second Amendment and just because I support the military and just ’cause I support police [doesn’t mean I’m a Republican].”
In the past, Rogan has also been critical of Trump, calling him an “existential threat to democracy” in July 2022. He also mentioned that he had turned down several opportunities to invite Trump onto his podcast, saying, “I’ve said no every time. I don’t want to help him.”
More recently, however, Rogan has noted some positive aspects of Trump’s presidency, acknowledging that the economy performed well during that time and that Trump made efforts to address various national issues.
Additionally, Rogan and Trump share some allies, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the presidential race, and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
When Is Trump’s Episode Coming Out?
While the release date for Trump’s episode has not been announced, the show typically does minimal editing and publishes episodes quickly, often the same day as recording, according to Lulu Cheng Meservey, Vice President of Communications at Substack.
According to JRELibrary.com, the podcast is prerecorded several days in advance, with episodes typically released daily at 1 PM EST from Tuesday to Friday, and sometimes on Saturday.