Podcast host Joe Rogan delivered a blunt account of why the Democratic Party lost his support during a conversation with Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas. Rogan focused on immigration policy, the presidential primary process, and concerns about Joe Biden’s mental ability, as reported by Breitbart [1].
Douglas, described as a lifelong Democrat with moderate leanings, heard Rogan’s grievances during an interview on the host’s podcast this week. Rogan framed the border as the first major issue behind his break with the party.
“First of all, the open border was INSANE,” Rogan said. “It was insane to just not only leave the border open, but give people instructions on how to get in and also to transport them to cities and put them up in hotels.”
Rogan argued that the approach appeared deliberate rather than accidental. “It was really clear that a game was being played. You can speculate all you want as to what that game was — was it for cheap labor, was it to turn these people into citizens and have them permanently voting your side?”
He did not claim to know the answer to those questions, but he remained convinced there was a broader purpose. “I don’t know what it is. But it was something.”
Rogan also said the scale of immigration made it impossible for him to continue supporting Democrats without demanding a change. “It seems crazy to have 10 million people of unknown origin enter into your country over a period of four years,” he added.
The podcast host then turned to the way Democrats selected and promoted presidential candidates. He complained that the party had failed to conduct what he viewed as an honest primary, instead presenting voters with a predetermined choice or pushing Biden onto them.
Rogan described that approach as incompatible with how the process should work. His frustration centered on the idea that winning an election could be used to justify setting aside a genuine contest and simply announcing the candidate voters were expected to support.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Rogan asked. He continued, “That’s not how it’s supposed to be done, and if you want me to vote for that — I’m not going to vote for that.”
Rogan made clear that his objection was not merely procedural. “That seems crazy. That seems dangerous.”
He then issued a harsh assessment of Biden’s condition while in office. “You know Biden wasn’t the fucking president for four years. It’s really clear his mental ability was severely declined,” he said.
Rogan’s criticism was not limited to Democrats, however, as he also challenged Donald Trump over promises he believed had been broken. He specifically cited Trump’s position on wars and contrasted it with the conflict involving Iran.
Rogan said, “What Trump stood for, some of it turned out to not be real. Like ‘no wars.’” He followed that criticism by saying, “We’re at a war with Iran, so that wasn’t real.”
He also condemned the idea of offering a $50,000 signing bonus to ICE recruits after seven weeks of training and then arming them.
“And it’s nuts to just give someone a $50,000 ICE signing bonus, you train them for seven weeks and then give them guns, and you have a militarized force running through the fucking city streets. It seems crazy.”
Joe Rogan: What Trump stood for, some of it turned out to not be real. Like ‘no wars.’ We’re at a war with Iran, so that wasn’t real. And it’s nuts to just give someone a $50,000 ICE signing bonus, you train them for seven weeks and then give them guns, and you have a militarized force running through the fucking city streets. It seems crazy.
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) October 14, 2026 [2]