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Fox News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Dem lawmaker sparks social media firestorm with 'cringe' anti-Trump guitar performance: 'Talk about tone-deaf'
Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Georgia, garnered some backlash from conservatives on social for a rendition of "Hey Joe," which was made popular by Jimi Hendrix and other artists in the '60s, which he retooled as a criticism of President Donald Trump. "I hate to hurt your ears and everything, but I'm just learning to play guitar," he said in a video posted to X on Wednesday, adding that he was inspired by Black Music Month to provide political commentary through song. He noted that he was "just learning to play guitar," then proceeded to sing an anti-Trump parody of the famous song. "Hey Trump, where you goin' with that gun in your hand?" Johnson sang. "I'm goin' down the street to shoot democracy. You know I wanna be a king someday." As of Friday afternoon, the video had received over 800 comments on the platform, most of which were criticisms from conservatives. "Talk about Tone-Deaf messaging!" Media Research Center posted on X. "Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson releases hilariously bad anti-Trump song, and you just have to hear this." "This would make Jimi Hendrix advocate for a ground war with Iran," Josh Holmes, co-host of the Ruthless Podcast, posted on X. "Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson sings an Anti-Trump song on his guitar about Trump shooting down Democracy with a gun to be a king," conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. "Yes, this is real…." Another user simply quipped, "I love the internet." "Heyyy Hank, Please tune that dang guitar if you can," another one wrote, directly pulling from the lyrics of the song. Hendrix most notably played "Hey Joe" at the notorious Woodstock Festival in 1969. "Democrats are doing another one of their cringe sing-a-longs," Ben Petersen, National War Room Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, posted on X. "This horribly sounding performance is yet another waste of our tax dollars and proof of the uselessness of the Democrat Party," conservative influencer Paul A. Szypula posted on X. "Ok. A few things. If you're going to do a song like this, it's best to tune your guitar beforehand," Jeff Charles, news editor at Townhall, posted on X. "Also, covering Jimi Hendrix when you don't know how to tune a guitar is cringe AF. The lyrics are something I could have come up with when I was five years old. I'm almost embarassed for him." "Hank Johnson - Thinks Guam can capsize… Also Hank Johnson - Thinks he can play guitar," comedian Tim Young posted on X. "He's dumber than AOC. Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson's office for comment. The video comes as Democrats continue to experiment with different social media strategies during Trump's second term and have consistently faced criticism from conservatives for doing so, including earlier this year when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other House Democrats were lambasted online over "choose your fighter" TikTok video.
CTV News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Progressive influencer tells of detention at U.S. airport
Travellers check their phone as they wait on an airport train to the international terminal at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on March 21, 2025. (Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo) A high-profile left-wing influencer and political commentator said Monday he was detained for hours by U.S. border officials and interrogated about his political views. U.S. citizen Hasan Piker -- who has millions of followers on YouTube, Twitch and X, and been outspoken in his criticism of Israel -- says he was held at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for over two hours on Sunday. He spoke out as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is facing growing criticism over claims of punitive action taken by federal agents against U.S. citizens and legal residents for merely voicing progressive opinions. Pike said his exchanges with officials were largely cordial but an officer asked his views on Trump and whether he has been in contact with militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. 'He's like, 'Do you talk about Trump?' And that was the first time where I was like, 'What is this question?'' Piker said on a video posted to his YouTube account. 'I literally straight up told him. I was like, 'Why are you asking me this... what does this have to do with anything?'' Piker says he told the official: 'I don't like Trump. Like, what are you going to do? It's protected by the First Amendment.' The Turkish-American 33-year-old was born in New Jersey, and has hosted U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on his platform in the past. Department of Homeland Security official Tricia McLaughlin responded Monday denying that Piker's political beliefs triggered the secondary screening, according to media reports. 'Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection -- a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveller. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released,' McLaughlin told US media. Piker maintains that his online content has never broken the law and only engaged in speech protected by the U.S. Constitution. 'The reason for why they're doing that is, I think, to try to create an environment of fear, to try to get people like myself -- or at least like others that would be in my shoes that don't have that same level of security -- to shut... up,' he added. Advocacy group Defending Rights & Dissent said it was 'deeply disturbed' by the notion of border officials stopping political commentators to interrogate them about constitutionally protected speech. 'Such an abuse of power is an affront to press freedom,' it said.
The Guardian
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Leftwing pundit Hasan Piker says US border agents quizzed him on Trump and Gaza
Hasan Piker, a US-born progressive political commentator, said he was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection agents and questioned about his opinions of Donald Trump and Israeli war policy as he returned to the country on Sunday from France. Piker, recounting the incident on his Twitch livestream on Monday, said he was led to a private room at Chicago O'Hare airport and interviewed for nearly two hours about his political views. 'The goal here is to put fear into people's hearts, to have a chilling effect on speech that, like, the government is unafraid of intimidating you,' Piker said. 'Does this stop me from saying whatever the fuck I want to say? Of course not. Don't be ridiculous. But the reason why I wanted to talk about it was to give you more insight into what the government is doing, and to speak out against this sort of stuff.' The leftwing streamer has built a mass following on YouTube and Twitch around his blend of political, cultural and social commentary. Piker, born in New Jersey, was carrying a US passport when he re-entered the US on Sunday, after a trip to France with his family to celebrate Mother's Day. 'I think they did it because they know who the fuck I am, and they wanted to put the fear of god into me,' Piker said. 'This is nothing but lying for likes,' Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. 'Claims that his political beliefs triggered the inspection are baseless. Our officers are following the law, not agendas.' She added: 'Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection – a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler. Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released.' Piker repeatedly described the exchange as 'cordial' but said he was transparent with the officer interviewing him that he planned to speak out about his experience, which the streamer said felt anything but random and 'routine'. Assuming the officer was familiar with his online commentary, Piker said he was candid about his views, telling the agent he was 'not fond' of the US president. He said the officer was particularly focused on his criticism of Israel's prosecution of the Gaza war, asking him: 'Do you like Hamas? Like, do you support Hamas? Do you think Hamas is a resistance group?' In response, Piker said he told the officer that he was a 'pacifist' and wanted 'the endless bloodshed to end'. 'I just kept repeating that over and over again,' he said, describing the line of questioning as 'insane' and a violation of his first amendment rights. Piker said this was his first attempt to return to the US using the global entry program, which normally expedites travel. He was returning to the US to speak on Monday at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Piker said neither his phone nor laptop were searched. He said the interview ended shortly after he asked whether he was being detained or if he was free to go. The officer told him he had not been detained, but Piker described it as a de facto detention'. Chip Gibbons, the policy director of Defending Rights & Dissent, said in a statement: 'We are deeply disturbed that CBP is stopping political commentators at the border to interrogate them about first Amendment-protected activities. Such an abuse of power is an affront to press freedom.' Alex Peter, an attorney and popular online creator who shares content about the American judicial system, wrote: 'DHS flagging and detaining one of the US's largest leftwing voices for their political opinions while the Trump admin suggests they might suspend habeas corpus does not portend well for the future.'
Bloomberg
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Political Pundit Hasan Piker Questioned by US Customs at Airport
Hasan Piker, an online political commentator, was stopped and questioned by US Customs and Border Protection agents after returning to the country from France, he said his Twitch livestream Monday. Piker, a vocal critic of Israel's Palestine policy, said he was taken to a private room at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Sunday and asked about his political views. Piker has millions of followers on YouTube, Twitch and X who listen to his wide-ranging commentary on American politics and social issues.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Joe Rogan reveals how he REALLY feels about that clash with author who challenged him over misinformation
Joe Rogan slammed the famous conservative author who criticized him on his own show, claiming he is 'not an expert' and that he should 'shut the f**k up.' British political commentator Douglas Murray challenged Rogan over the guests he brings on his show to discuss alternative theories about history and geopolitical issues during his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience last month. The podcaster denied that he was treating some of his guests provide 'alternative theories' as serious historians. After the clash went viral, Donald Trump appeared to back Murray and took to his Truth Social account to promote the author's new book. On Tuesday, Rogan rehashed the debate with his guest Cameron Hanes, a fellow podcaster and renowned outdoorsman. Rogan admonished Murray for attacking the qualifications of his guests and claimed the historian uses 'tactics' and not 'facts' in his argument. 'This idea that an expert, like Douglas Murray, I love him dearly, I think he's a brilliant man, [but] he's got a degree in history. Or, excuse me, he's got a degree in English. Bachelor's degree,' Rogan said. 'He's not an expert either. Unless we're talking about Shakespeare. Shut the f**k up. Because you're not an expert either. You know what I mean?' Hanes agreed, telling Rogan he thought Murray came across as 'pompous' and that damaged his credibility. 'This appeal to experts, just because you have a degree, you're not always right. You're wrong all the time,' Rogan said 'He used tactics rather than facts. So the tactic was an appeal to experts like that. Like that's not what we're here for what we're here for is to get down to business so what he's doing is like putting you on the defensive right away out of the gate.' The columnist and author told Rogan to his face that he thinks he's responsible for a misinformation problem in society. 'I feel you've opened the door to quite a lot of people who now got a big platform, who have been throwing out counter-historical stuff of a very dangerous kind,' Murray said to Rogan. Murray offered podcaster Darryl Cooper and Holocaust denier Ian Carroll as examples of the kind of Rogan guests who have shared questionable information. Daryl Cooper has said that not only did the Nazis not intend to murder millions but that Winston Churchill is the main villain of World War Two. 'These guys are not historians, they're not knowledgeable about anything,' Murray said. 'No one is calling Ian Carroll a historian,' Rogan shot back. 'But then why listen to their views on Churchill?' Murray insisted. 'If you only get the contrary view, which is - "isn't it fun if we all pretend that Churchill was the bad guy of the 20th century?" - at some point you're going to lead people to think that's the view. And that's horses**t of the most profound kind.' 'I don't think about it that way,' Rogan doubled down. 'I just think, I'd like to talk to that person.' But Murray wasn't having it and concluded: 'There's a point at which "I'm just raising questions" isn't valid anymore... You're not asking questions — you're telling people something.'
