Former President Donald Trump made headlines once again during a candid, wide-ranging interview with Joe Rogan on his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on Friday. Over the course of three hours, Trump touched on everything from his disdain for the hosts of The View to more unorthodox topics like aliens. The interview, which highlighted Trump's distinctive style of blunt rhetoric, provided a glimpse into his thinking on politics, media, and his past mistakes as president.
One of the most memorable moments came when Trump expressed his frustration with the entertainment world, particularly The View. "Some of these women, they're so, they're so stupid," Trump said, directly naming Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and Alyssa Farah Griffin-his former staffer. He suggested that their praise for him before his presidency had turned to disdain due to his political career.
Trump's harsh remarks about the popular daytime talk show didn't stop there. He echoed comments he made at the recent Al Smith dinner in New York, where he called the show "stupid" and its hosts "bad news." Despite Trump's claims, The View consistently ranks high in daytime talk show ratings, often leading in key demographics.
The former president, who has a long history of public feuds, also took time to reflect on his administration and admitted to making mistakes in his choice of personnel. He called his former Chief of Staff, John Kelly, a "bully," and labeled his former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, as "an idiot" but acknowledged that Bolton served a strategic purpose. "He was good in a certain way. He was a nut job. Any time I had to deal with a country, when they saw this whack job standing behind me, they said, 'Oh man, Trump's going to go to war with us,'" Trump joked.
Beyond media personalities and past appointments, the conversation took a more surreal turn when Rogan asked Trump about aliens. "I interviewed jet pilots that say they saw something," Trump said. "There's no reason not to think that Mars and all these planets don't have life." While he did not confirm the existence of extraterrestrials, Trump's musings on life beyond Earth provided a lighter moment during the otherwise politically charged discussion.
Rogan, known for his informal, conversational style, gave Trump room to speak freely, occasionally interjecting with his own observations. At one point, Rogan remarked on Trump's blunt communication style, saying, "One of the beautiful things about you is that you freeball." Rogan then compared Trump's manner of speaking to that of a stand-up comedian, suggesting that part of his appeal in 2016 was that he didn't use "prepared politician lingo."
Trump agreed, saying, "You need at least the attitude of a comedian when you're doing this business. This is a very tough business." The light-hearted exchange was a reminder of Trump's unconventional political style, which has both endeared him to his base and drawn criticism from his opponents.
However, Trump's reflections weren't limited to the abstract or the humorous. He revisited one of his more controversial proposals: replacing the income tax with tariffs. Calling tariffs "the most beautiful word," Trump reiterated his belief that tariffs could be used to fund the government and reduce the tax burden on Americans. His remarks echo statements made during his 2016 campaign, although the policy has yet to gain traction in mainstream economic discourse.
Despite the more unconventional parts of the conversation, the former president remained focused on his political narrative. He criticized what he described as the entertainment industry's hypocrisy, noting how he had once been a media darling but was now widely criticized. "People in the entertainment business loved me before they turned on me," Trump claimed, suggesting that his political career was the reason for the shift in perception.
Trump's comments also revealed lingering tensions with former members of his administration. His criticism of John Kelly and John Bolton underscored the difficulties he faced in staffing his White House, a challenge he has frequently acknowledged. "I picked some people that I shouldn't have picked," Trump admitted, referring to his early days as a political novice. His tenure was marked by high staff turnover, with key figures often leaving amid public disputes or resignations.
For Rogan, who is known for hosting a wide range of guests, the conversation with Trump was emblematic of the freewheeling nature of his podcast. The UFC commentator turned comedian and podcaster gave Trump space to touch on his grievances, from media criticism to personal regrets, while injecting humor into the dialogue.
