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By Anna Commander
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Podcaster Joe Rogan took aim at the Trump family over "billions" of dollars he says it has made through business ventures like cryptocurrency during Donald Trump’s presidency, drawing attention to the overlap between the president’s political role and his family’s business interests.
Rogan’s comments are notable given his past support for Trump, making the criticism particularly striking as scrutiny of the president’s financial interests remain in headlines.
A major focus is the Trump family’s involvement in cryptocurrency. Since returning to the White House, Trump has embraced the crypto industry, promoting policies aimed at making the United States a global center for digital assets. At the same time, businesses tied to the Trump family have expanded their own presence in the industry. Records showed roughly $1.4 billion in profits connected to Trump’s crypto ventures, including his meme coin and other digital-asset businesses.
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“Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged—or will ever engage—in conflicts of interest,” White House deputy press Secretary Anna Kelly previously told Newsweek after Trump's financial disclosure was released earlier this year.
“President Trump proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world through executive actions, supporting legislation like the GENIUS Act and other commonsense policies to drive innovation and economic opportunity for all Americans,” she added.
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Rogan Says Crypto Stuff is 'Nuts'
Talking on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, released Thursday, Rogan said in part, "This government has done some s*** that no government has ever done before. And one of them is the crypto stuff. The crypto stuff's nuts." He added, "Trump has made billions in crypto."
"And then you got his sons, and his sons are involved in all of these weird business deals...and then the sons are involved in these businesses. There's a lot of money flowing around, that you could dig in and start arresting people," Rogan said.
"The thing about the crypto is, it's shady as f***, but it's legal. I don't know if it should be," Rogan said.
Craig Agranoff, Florida Atlantic University political professor, told Newsweek on Thursday, "Rogan’s comments will land with parts of his audience, especially younger male listeners who follow him closely and also backed Trump. That group is more open to questioning business arrangements that look highly profitable for the president’s family.
"It is unlikely to fracture the broader conservative coalition, which tends to prioritize other issues, but it does create some friction among a vocal slice of online and podcast-oriented Trump supporters," Agranoff continued. "On the financial side, the scale stands out. No modern president has reported personal income from cryptocurrency ventures on the order of more than a billion dollars while simultaneously shaping the industry’s regulatory environment. Previous officeholders usually put assets in blind trusts or stepped back from active business. This level of direct family involvement in a fast-moving sector is new territory."
When reached for comment by Newsweek about Rogan's remarks on Thursday, Kelly said, “All of President Trump’s assets are held in fully discretionary accounts managed by independent third-party financial institutions. President Trump proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world through executive actions, supporting legislation like the GENIUS Act, and other commonsense policies to drive innovation and economic opportunity for all Americans. All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people.”
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Trump’s meme coin has sparked discussions about potential conflicts of interest surrounding the president. Critics have argued that the coin raises questions about whether investors are effectively buying into the president’s brand and political power.
The cryptocurrency has also drawn scrutiny because its legal disclaimer acknowledges that it is subject to terms and conditions that prevent purchasers from bringing class action lawsuits, a provision that opponents argue could limit consumers’ rights and make it more difficult to hold the company accountable.
The concerns extend beyond cryptocurrency. Trump remains closely connected to Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group.
Recently, the company came under additional scrutiny after launching a service charging as much as $100,000 per month for early access to posts from Trump and other high-profile administration officials, The Guardian reports. A lawsuit alleges that the arrangement amounts to selling privileged access to information generated in the course of the president’s official duties, the outlet reports. Trump remains the company’s largest shareholder, with his stake currently valued at roughly $1 billion, according to the lawsuit, the outlet says.
Rogan spoke about the lawsuit in part during his podcast, saying, "Who's telling him [Trump] this is a good idea?"
"You know how crazy that is? $100,000 to get early tweets. That's literally crazy," Rogan said.
Newsweek reached out to Truth Social and Trump Media & Technology Group via email on Thursday for comment.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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