"Is this a joke?" - Chael Sonnen disputes claim that Joe Rogan did more than him to help Donald Trump win 2024 U.S. elections

Chael Sonnen recently brushed off Ariel Helwani's suggestion that Joe Rogan contributed more than he did to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. The Republican leader secured a sweeping victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, earning his second term as the 47th president earlier this month.

During a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, the combat sports journalist brought up a discussion with Sonnen about the impact of popular influencers like Theo Von, the Nelk Boys, and especially Rogan in bolstering Trump’s campaign through their endorsements during the election.

Helwani contended that Rogan hosting Trump on his podcast swayed many voters toward the Republican Party at the last moment. However, the former UFC title challenger countered, asserting that while Rogan’s endorsement did provide some support for Trump, its actual impact was not as significant as perceived:

"Do you suggest that Rogan did more to help Trump than I did because you said it right to me? Where would you possibly get that? Because he had him on [his podcast] one time? What does that have to do with anything?... Is this a joke? You think people who worked for 10 years to get to this position somehow got 'Trumped' in three hours because you red-pilled a guy who didn't want to pay taxes to the left."

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below (1:15:07):

Sonnen previously ran as a Republican candidate for District 37 of the Oregon House of Representatives. He faced no opposition in the May 2010 primary elections but later withdrew from the race in June due to a legal issue. 'The Bad Guy' has remained a steadfast supporter of the GOP, often expressing his admiration for Trump through his social media posts.

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Dana White helped facilitate Donald Trump's appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast

Donald Trump made his much-anticipated debut on The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) last month, sparking a social media frenzy as the 2024 U.S. presidential election campaigns were in full swing.

Trump's appearance on the famed podcast marked a shift, despite Joe Rogan’s earlier reservations about the 78-year-old politician, as he had openly stated in 2022 that he had no intention of hosting him due to ideological differences.

However, fast forward to October 2024, and the situation had changed—Trump appeared on Rogan's podcast, a move largely facilitated by their mutual friend, UFC CEO Dana White.

During a recent interview with Russell Brand, White reiterated his strong backing for Trump and also shared the behind-the-scenes details of how he played a key role in arranging the U.S. president-elect's debut on Rogan's podcast:

"He is authentic enough to go on Joe Rogan's show for three and a half hours, unscripted, and talk about anything that pops up to talk to Joe or anybody else. I pushed hard for him to do that interview because that's the setting that he needs to be in."

Check out Dana White's comments below (7:55):