Many avid podcast listeners have been eagerly awaiting popular talk show host, comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan to interview former President Donald Trump.
But Trump revealed on Tuesday that he had not been invited to Rogan’s podcast and seemed unenthusiastic when asked if he wanted to have a taped interview with him.
Rogan has said he doesn’t plan on having Trump join his program because he doesn’t want to help the candidate and unintentionally influence people to vote for him.
But the podcast host was forced to walk back what was widely seen as an endorsement of former independent candidate RFK Jr. last month after massive MAGA backlash.
Rogan had drawn the ire of Trump supporters and Trump himself after a clip from his show indicated he was supporting RFK Jr. for president.
Trump questioned Rogan’s apparent endorsement on social media.
Donald Trump said he wasn’t invited to Joe Rogan’s podcast, but admitted in an interview Tuesday: “I guess I would” if asked.
“It will be interesting to see how hard Joe Rogan will be booed the next time he steps into the UFC ring,” Trump asked in a post on Truth Social despite Rogan clarifying his position.
Asked Tuesday if there was any inherent tension between Trump and Rogan, the former president said there was not.
“I don’t think there’s been any tension and I’ve always liked him, but I don’t know him,” Trump told Lex Fridman on an episode of his podcast released Tuesday.
“I only see him when I walk into the stadium with Dana (White) and shake his hand,” the 2024 Republican presidential candidate continued. “I see him there and I think he’s good at what he does, but I don’t know if he’ll do his podcast.”
“I mean, I guess I would,” he admitted. “But nobody’s asked me and I’m not going to ask anybody, you know? I’m not going to ask anybody.”
Fridman speculated that Trump was openly negotiating to appear on the show.
“No, it’s not really a negotiation,” Trump replied. “And I guess he’s a pretty liberal guy, from what I understand.”
Rogan has distanced himself from both major political parties in the past, but has shared some controversial political opinions on his podcast and through his comedy routines over the years.
“I don’t think there’s been any tension and I’ve always liked him. But I don’t know him,” Trump told Lex Fridman on his podcast released Tuesday. “I only see him when I walk into the stadium with Dana (White) and shake his hand. I see him there and I think he’s good at what he does, but I don’t know if he’s going to do his podcast.”
The podcaster posts his conversations on the YouTube channel The Joe Rogan Experience, which has 17.3 million followers. His conversations regularly rack up hundreds of thousands to millions of views and listens.
Any presidential candidate who lands a spot on Rogan’s podcast would gain a broad and diverse audience.
An episode released on June 14, 2024 featured Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who last month suspended his independent bid for the White House and endorsed Trump.
On August 9, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social: ‘It would be interesting to see how hard Joe Rogan will be booed the next time he steps into the UFC ring. MAGA 2024.’
Fridman asked Trump about this post.
“He likes Kennedy, this was before… I heard about this before Kennedy came to us. It’s going to be great. I like that he likes Kennedy. I do too,” Trump said. “You know, he’s a different guy. He’s got some great things going on and I think he’s going to be… beyond the politics… I think he could be quite influential in dealing with some situations.”
Trump posted last month that he thought Joe Rogan would be “booed” the next time he went to a UFC match.
Asked to give his opinion on the psychology behind his social media posts, Trump admitted that he sometimes regrets what he puts out into the world.
Fridman asked whether Trump is being “intentionally provocative” or just “speaking his mind.”
“Are there times when you regret certain truths?” the podcast host asked.
“Yes, I do,” he replied. “But not that often, to be honest.”
“I forward a lot of posts. The ones that get me in trouble are the ones that get forwarded… when I do it in my own words, it’s easier.”