Streamer Hasan Piker Says He Has Toned Down Rhetoric Amid Democratic Backlash

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said Friday that he has “dialed down” his commentary after facing criticism from both the public and members of the Democratic Party over past remarks.

Speaking with “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Lovett, Piker addressed the fallout from an Axios interview last week in which he said the United States was “pound for pound” worse than al-Qaeda on terrorism. He argued that many of his statements have been taken “out of context” but acknowledged he has begun weighing his words more carefully.

“There’s also the third thing, which is like actual positions that I hold, actual opinions that I have that are unbelievably antagonistic to those in positions of power, that when they hear that, they like lose their minds,” Piker said. “They don’t know how to deal with it. And when I’m faced with a question like that, I have to in my mind make this calculation of: Should I be honest about what I believe? Should I take a principled stance on something, or should I portray myself as a campaign surrogate and act as though I am running for office?”

“And I’ve definitely dialed down. I know it doesn’t seem like it. And I’ve definitely dialed down my commentary with that in mind for sure,” he added.

Piker did not specify which opinions he has softened, but he suggested the backlash stems from Republicans lacking a strong midterm message.

“Just because it’s their most successful narrative doesn’t mean that it’s going to be successful in winning elections for them. And I don’t think it will be successful in winning elections for them at all,” Piker said.

He also pushed back on the idea that he should face special scrutiny. “By and large, the idea that a Twitch streamer is supposed to be held to a higher standard than the president is such an insane phenomena that it could only be concocted by a bunch of out-of-touch people in mainstream outlets that think this is a salient narrative that will definitely work because people don’t care,” he said.

Ties to Michigan Senate race

Piker drew national attention after campaigning alongside Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during the Democratic primary. Since winning that primary, El-Sayed has sought distance from Piker, repeatedly describing him as a “streamer from California” with no bearing on the race, despite their previous joint appearances.

Piker has also faced criticism for other remarks, including a suggestion that Jewish Americans were bringing violence upon themselves because of their support for Israel.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin distanced the party from Piker in a Tuesday interview with Fox News Digital. “Let me just say that I think it’s absolutely disgusting and deplorable the things that Hasan Piker has said,” Martin said. “But he does not represent the Democratic Party, and he certainly doesn’t represent the viewpoints of almost every one of our candidates and our elected officials.”