DSA accused of ‘elevating’ antisemitic, pro-terror rhetoric after Hasan Piker hosts election stream

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chose controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker to host its official election night livestream, drawing a blunt response from Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who accused the group of elevating rhetoric supportive of terrorism and antisemitism.

Greenblatt wrote in a post on X, 'Of all the people the DSA could have chosen to host its official election night livestream, it chose Hasan Piker, someone who proudly expresses support for terrorist organizations and traffics in antisemitism.' He added, 'Let that sink in. The DSA isn't distancing itself from this kind of rhetoric. It's elevating it.'

Piker streamed live on Twitch for more than 13 hours on Election Day, offering his signature political commentary as votes were tallied. He described the election as a 'blue-clear apocalypse' as Democrats saw major gains in the House and Senate.

The DSA saw several of its endorsed or supported candidates win on Tuesday night, including Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, Melat Kiros in Colorado, Donavan McKinney in Michigan, Claire Valdez in New York and Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York.

Piker did not hold back in his response to Greenblatt, writing, 'Suck it Jonathan, your best friend Elon burned 450 million to lose races all over the country tonight you bald piece of s---!!!'

Host's history of controversial remarks

Greenblatt included a link to an ADL article detailing statements by Piker that the organization criticized, including comments the ADL said have 'alluded to classic antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories.'

The article contains some of Piker's more infamous remarks, such as when he referred to Orthodox Jews as 'inbred' and his classification of Zionism as 'an exterminationist ideology built around ethnoreligious supremacist values.'

During a Twitch stream in August, Piker suggested, 'People don't f--- with Israel any longer. And if Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they're singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone will come around and take action not against Israel, mind you, but against American Jews.'

The ADL did not immediately respond to Piker’s remarks about Greenblatt.

Party figures distance themselves

Ahead of the midterm elections, Piker drew attention in political circles as he interviewed and even campaigned with DSA-backed and DSA-aligned candidates. Piker came to national prominence after he campaigned with now-Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.

While El-Sayed's race was not explicitly DSA-backed, the organization said that El-Sayed 'supports DSA priorities like Medicare for All.' His decision to appear with Piker drew criticism.

The candidate appeared to distance himself from the streamer, holding no additional campaign events with him toward the end of the election cycle. El-Sayed did not outright condemn the antisemitic comments but responded to Piker, saying, 'I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past.'

He added, 'My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk.'

Piker celebrates election results

On Election Day, Piker gloated over Republicans' defeat, saying, 'This is perhaps the worst possible scenario for the Republican Party, I think their odious agenda, their corruption, the destabilizing impact that they’ve had, the endless warfare and its consequences on the American economy, are finally coming back to bite them.'

He also told his audience, 'Trumpism is dying, and I could not feel any better,' and at one point suggested, 'Just imagine a world where Donald Trump is in f---ing prison.'