Podcaster Joe Rogan blasted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) over his latest budget proposal, calling the Democratic Socialist leader “a f**king psychopath” during a heated exchange on “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
Rogan reacted to details of Mamdani’s plan, particularly funding allocated for migrants in New York City.
“He’s a f**king psychopath,” Rogan said. “The amount for migrants is crazy. There should be zero dollars for illegal immigrants.”
Author Michael Malice, appearing as a guest on the show, pushed back slightly, arguing that eliminating funding entirely may not be realistic.
“I don’t think you could have zero, because if they’re gonna be there, you have to feed them, you have to do something with them — if you don’t feed them, they’re gonna be robbing stores,” Malice said.
Rogan countered that migrants should be working instead of relying on public assistance.
“Get them jobs,” Rogan said.
Malice questioned how that would work in practice. “How are you going to get a migrant a job?” he asked.
“Get them a job in Guatemala,” Rogan replied.
The exchange continued with Malice raising another concern: competition with American workers. “Wouldn’t you rather give them food than a job? I don’t want them taking American citizens’ jobs,” he said.
“Well, the whole thing’s a mess,” Rogan conceded.
Malice agreed. “The whole thing’s a mess,” he repeated, adding, “You can’t just throw them away.”
“Unless you’re going to remove them from the country,” Rogan responded.
“Right, unless you remove them,” Malice said, noting that incarceration would also come with high costs. “Even if you want to put them in jail, that’s not cheap.”
Mamdani, who has championed expanded social spending and progressive policies since taking office, has faced mounting criticism over the city’s handling of migrant housing and services, per Breitbart News.
New York City has spent billions over the past several years addressing the migrant influx, with shelters, food programs, and related services straining the city’s budget.
Supporters of the mayor argue that the city has legal and humanitarian obligations to provide care for those who arrive, while critics contend that continued funding encourages more migration and places unfair burdens on taxpayers.
Rogan’s comments quickly circulated online, drawing strong reactions from both supporters and critics. The podcast host has frequently weighed in on immigration policy, often expressing frustration with what he sees as federal failures to secure the border.
Malice, appearing in unusual face paint for what he said was his tenth appearance on the show, joked on social media that “tenth time’s the charm.”
