CNN reporter Aaron Blake says President Donald Trump is typically quick to strike back at the slightest offense or criticism, often resorting to name-calling in his online clapbacks.
But the president is meekly taking every blow that bro-MAGA influencer Joe Rogan is hurling at him with no response.
“Rogan has broken with Trump on several major issues since mid-2025. And polling shows the issues he’s picked happen to be some of Trump’s biggest political liabilities – including the war with Iran, the Jeffrey Epstein files and immigration enforcement,” said Blake.
On Tuesday, the popular podcaster lit into Trump’s ongoing assault on Iran, accusing Trump of breaking his promises to America First conservative voters who are sick of sinking U.S. cash into endless, overpriced wars.
“But it just seems so insane based on what he ran on,” Black quotes Rogan saying on his show. “I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on no more wars and these stupid senseless wars, and then we have one that we can’t even really clearly define why we did it.”
“It just doesn’t make any sense to me – unless we’re acting on someone else’s interests, like particularly Israel’s interests,” Rogan added. “It just didn’t make any sense to me.”
Similarly, Rogan has blasted Trump’s secrecy and handling of the Epstein files, painting it as yet another betrayal of his young voters, particularly the young first-time Trump voters who took a chance on Trump in the 2024 elections.
Last month, Blake said Rogan called the FBI’s claim of no evidence Epstein had clients “the gaslightiest gaslighting s—— I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Days later, Rogan blasted Trump’s Justice Department over it’s suspicious redactions to the Epstein files, particularly the ones incriminating Trump.
“Like, what is this? This is not good. None of this is good for this administration,” Rogan said. “It looks f—— terrible. It looks terrible.”
Uncharacteristically, the combative president has yet to slam Rogan as he burns every other critic who’s invoked his name. Asked about Rogan’s criticisms last month by NBC News, Blake said Trump shows nothing but esteem for Rogan.
“I think he’s a great guy, and I think he likes me, too,” Trump said.
The explanation for Trump’s newfound meekness may be Rogan’s substantial audience, which Trump is leery of alienating, said Blake.
“If there’s one figure who epitomized President Donald Trump’s ability to cobble together a winning coalition in 2024, it might have been Joe Rogan — the influential podcaster who made big news by endorsing Trump on the eve of the election after interviewing him,” said Blake. On the flipside, much ink has been spilled about the Kamala Harris campaign not booking a date with Rogan’s podcast and the detrimental effect that might have had on her bid to become president.”
As long as Rogan’s audience remains large (and significantly male) Trump’s docility will likely continue, regardless of how hard Rogan hounds him.
“And, you know, liking me isn’t important,” Trump added to his response to NBC News. “What happens is that — I think we do a phenomenal job, but I don’t think we’re good at public relations.”


