Podcast host Joe Rogan, who endorsed Donald Trump during the 2024 election, criticized the former president this week for aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, saying Trump has “betrayed” his campaign promises.
On a July 2 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan said the administration’s recent immigration raids have swept up nonviolent workers like construction laborers and gardeners rather than focusing on the dangerous criminals as Trump previously vowed.
“There’s two things that are insane,” Rogan said. “One is the targeting of migrant workers — just construction workers, just gardeners. Like, really?”
Rogan also pointed to deportations of international students, including one case at Tufts University involving a Turkish student reportedly detained after writing an op-ed critical of Israel. “That’s enough to get you kicked out of the country?” he asked his guest, Replit CEO Amjad Masad, who raised the case.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the raids, stating that most of those detained had criminal records or posed national security risks. Critics argue the policy has cast too wide a net and undermines due process.
Rogan’s shift comes after he tweeted support for Trump on Election Day in 2024, calling him “the most competent choice.” But in recent months, he has grown more critical — previously calling deportations to El Salvador “horrific” and warning that “innocent people” are being caught in broad enforcement efforts.
The remarks reflect growing discomfort with Trump’s immigration crackdown, even among libertarian-leaning supporters. The episode adds to ongoing debate over how far the administration will go in its second term to enforce border and visa policies.
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