Hasan Piker on his rise as a voice of the 'insurgent left' | NPR's Newsmakers artwork
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Hasan Piker on his rise as a voice of the 'insurgent left' | NPR's Newsmakers

Oct 15, 2026 · 41 min

President Donald Trump recently called Hasan Piker a “terrible liability” and a “communist.”The California-based streamer — who describes himself as a socialist — has become the GOP’s political bogeyman ahead of the midterm elections. Piker argues those attacks will backfire, but also says he has played a role in being portrayed as a 'figurehead of the insurgent left.'“The way that I'm portrayed i…