Trump hits back at Joe Rogan over RFK Jr. nod

Driving the news: "It will be interesting to see how loudly Joe Rogan gets BOOED the next time he enters the UFC Ring??? MAGA2024" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Friday.

• Rogan is a UFC commentator and often enters the ring for post-fight interviews.

Context: Rogan said in an episode of his show released Thursday that politicians on both sides of the aisle are manipulative and "promote narratives," with the exception of RFK Jr.

• "He's the only one who makes sense to me," Rogan said of RFK Jr., calling himself a fan. "He doesn't attack people. He attacks actions and ideas but he's much more reasonable and intelligent."
• The podcast host said he used to think RFK Jr. was an anti-vaxer and "a conspiracy theorist nut" until reading his book, The Real Anthony Fauci.
• Spotify, who signed a multiyear deal to distribute "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast earlier this year, faced enormous pressure for anti-vaccination comments Rogan made in 2022.

Rogan said Friday, before Trump's comment was posted, that his statement about RFK Jr. "isn't an endorsement."

• "This is me saying that I like RFKjr as a person, and I really appreciate the way he discusses things with civility and intelligence," Rogan wrote on X. "I think we could use more of that in this world."
• Rogan said he thinks Trump raising his fist and saying "fight!" after the assassination attempt "is one of the most American f-----g things of all time."
• "I'm not the guy to get political information from," he added.

Go deeper:

• Exclusive: Trump puts fist-pump photo on new book cover
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• Spotify signs new multiyear podcast deal with Joe Rogan