Joe Rogan, the host of The Joe Rogan Experience, one of Spotify's most popular podcasts, declared his support for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris while praising Tesla CEO Elon Musk's influence on his decision.
"If it wasn't for him we'd be f*****," Rogan wrote on social media, referring to Musk. "He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you'll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way."
Rogan, whose podcast reaches millions of listeners, concluded his message with an explicit confirmation: "For the record, yes, that's an endorsement of Trump."
Trump immediately celebrated Rogan's endorsement during his rally in Pittsburgh, where he appeared with former Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
"So somebody that's very, very respected asked me to do his show two weeks ago, and I said, 'why not?' And to me it's very big because he's the biggest there is I guess, in that world by far, somebody said 'the biggest beyond anybody in a long time' and his name is Joe Rogan and he's never done this before. Thank you Joe. That's so nice. And he doesn't do that."
"He tends to be a little bit more liberal than some of the people in this room," Trump told the crowd of supporters. "I had a lot of fun, he was amazing."
Rogan's endorsement comes amid controversy surrounding Musk's America PAC, which on Monday won a legal battle in Pennsylvania to continue its $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes through Election Day.
The PAC's initiative, launched on October 19, offered registered voters in swing states the opportunity to win $1 million by signing a petition supporting constitutional rights, particularly freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. The organization also promises $47 for each referred registered voter who signs the petition.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit last week against both Musk and America PAC, alleging violations of Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Laws.
During Monday's hearing, Krasner labeled the initiative "a political marketing masquerading as a lottery" and indicated potential criminal charges remain under consideration. America PAC's lawyers argued that winners aren't chosen by chance but rather selected to serve as paid "spokespeople" for the organization.
The timing of Rogan's endorsement follows Trump's recent appearance on his podcast on October 25, which marked the former president's first time on the show. The highly anticipated three-hour interview, conducted at Rogan's Austin studio, has accumulated over 40 million views across Spotify and YouTube platforms.
The extended conversation caused Trump to arrive hours late to his campaign rally in Traverse City, Michigan, though his supporters praised his stamina and work ethic for making the journey between campaign stops.
During the wide-ranging interview, Trump made pointed criticisms of his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her "a very low IQ person" and suggesting she would "be laying on the floor comatose" if subjected to a rigorous interview with Rogan. The former president also addressed illegal immigration, arguing that affected communities face increasing challenges and advocating for migrants to be "returned to their country" rather than integrated.
Rogan's support for Trump represents a notable shift from his previous position. The podcast host had expressed reluctance to invite Trump onto his show, citing concerns about maintaining the program's balance rather than endorsing any particular candidate. However, negotiations eventually broke down regarding a potential appearance by the vice president.
"Also, for the record the Harris campaign has not passed on doing the podcast," Rogan clarified on X, formerly Twitter. "They offered a date for Tuesday, but I would have had to travel to her and they only wanted to do an hour. I strongly feel the best way to do it is in the studio in Austin." He added, "My sincere wish is to just have a nice conversation and get to know her as a human being. I really hope we can make it happen."
While Harris did not appear on Rogan's show, she has participated in other popular podcasts, including Call Me Daddy with host Alex Cooper and All the Smoke with former NBA stars Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, the latter targeting Black male voters.
Update 11/4/24 10:21 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 11/4/24 10:56 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.