"COVID broke his brain" - JRE fans get into raging debate over Joe Rogan's Republican shift and support for Donald Trump

Several listeners of Joe Rogan's world-renowned JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast have gotten into a fiery debate over the apparent shift in his socio-political leanings. Some fans have criticized Rogan's shift from the deemed left-wing and the Democratic Party toward the deemed right-wing and the Republican Party. Alternatively, others have lent him their support.

Rogan is a veteran martial arts practitioner and stand-up comedian, who's long served as a UFC color commentator. The 57-year-old American has also long reigned as a podcast mogul, courtesy of his JRE brand. He'd previously been quite vocal about his support for Democratic Party leaders such as Bernie Sanders.

Nevertheless, over the past few years, Rogan is believed to have drifted toward the right wing and the Republican Party. He notably hosted Republican ex-POTUS (President of the United States) and current President-elect Donald Trump on JRE this October, even officially endorsing him ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024, presidential elections.

Rogan even hosted Trump supporter, billionaire Elon Musk, multiple times on JRE. The duo vehemently criticized Kamala Harris, who was the Democratic Party's presidential hopeful in the elections. Many analysts underscored that Rogan's podcast and official endorsement considerably helped the Trump campaign.

A JRE viewer has now taken to X to post a clip from the podcast about Rogan criticizing veteran Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The netizen suggested that they used to be a fan of Rogan but said it was sad to watch the purported change in his public socio-political stance, wherein the MMA personality has become an ardent Trump supporter.

Fans soon weighed in on Joe Rogan's evident transition from the Democratic to the Republican realm, with some accusing him of doing so for monetary gain. One commenter tweeted:

"Don't be sad, Joe sold out."

An observer wrote:

"His arc is the saddest."

Nevertheless, some netizens defended Rogan. Some indicated that the left-wing allegedly castigated Rogan for his views on the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines, which pushed him toward the right-wing individuals and circles and solidified his position in that part of the spectrum.

An observer accused the X user of not being a genuine Rogan fan, while another similarly disapproved and tweeted:

"You seem ret*rded."

Another commenter came to Rogan's defense and tweeted:

"Your attempt to gaslight is sad. Go get some help."

Moreover, some implied that they're sincerely worried about the change in Rogan's approach and views. One X user alluded to his having dealt with COVID in the past and wrote:

"COVID broke his brain. Alcohol has now picked it."

Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:

Screenshots of tweets

---

Panelists disagree over money being primary motivator in Joe Rogan's socio-political shift

During a recent discussion on CNN, writer and podcaster Coleman Hughes, who's previously appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast, appeared to defend him.

Hughes referenced Rogan's past support of Bernie Sanders and seemed to suggest that the UFC commentator had long espoused views considered left-wing on various issues.

Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross speculated that Joe Rogan's changed socio-political stance was primarily driven by potential financial gain. Cross deemed Rogan smarter than most give him credit for, insinuating that he saw that moving toward the right wing as more beneficial for his brand.

Cross said:

"That's consumerism at work."

Check out their comments below: