Joe Rogan says podcasters have no business at Trump press conferences alongside real journalists

Rogan made his comments during a recent episode of his podcast, where he was joined by comedians Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir. He described the format of recent press gaggles as chaotic, with attendees talking over one another to get the administration's attention.

The podcaster argued that this behavior makes for a poor podcast and that podcasters should not be given front-row seats at White House briefings. He contrasted this with the complaints of David Sacks, who suggested the administration had lost podcasters and should have given them a prominent place at the news conferences.

Rogan insisted that he and his peers are not press people and that their primary function is to discuss topics rather than report on them. He acknowledged that his opinions hold significant weight in society, a fact he described as unfortunate but true.

Podcasters played a major role in the 2024 presidential election, with Rogan interviewing Trump and later endorsing him. The campaign was dubbed the "podcast election" as candidates sought to reach voters through alternative media platforms.

Leavitt, who served as White House press secretary, had previously opened up the briefing room to alternative media outlets by creating a "new media seat." This seat, located at the front of the room, was intended for bloggers, social media influencers, and others to ask questions of the press secretary.