Joe Rogan Claims Clinton and Obama Took a Harder Line on Immigration than Trump

On a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan, who once supported Donald Trump, expressed a shift in his views regarding the president's immigration policies. He asserted that both former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton adopted a tougher approach to illegal immigration than Trump has.

Rogan specifically referenced Clinton's remarks from her 2007 presidential campaign, describing them as "hardcore." He quoted her stance: “If you’ve been convicted of a crime, get out. If you stay here, pay a stiff penalty, and you have to get in line, and you have to learn English.”

In a video clip of Clinton's comments, Rogan noted that "everyone cheers," highlighting the strong reception her words received at the time. He remarked, "Like that is a hardcore right-wing 2026 perspective," indicating a surprising alignment with more conservative views.

During the same podcast episode, Rogan conversed with former U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Bill Thompson, who concurred with Rogan's assessment of Clinton's immigration stance. Thompson added that Obama also maintained a hardline approach in 2012.

“Yes, absolutely. And Obama deported more people than Trump did,” Rogan stated, emphasizing the numbers. In Obama's first year of his second term, he deported 409,849 individuals, while Trump managed fewer than 260,000 in his first year.

The Department of Homeland Security reported in January that "nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration," claiming over 675,000 deportations under Trump's leadership.

Trump's second administration has been marked by stringent immigration enforcement, primarily through ICE operations, border stops, and self-deportations. However, public opinion appears to be shifting; a joint poll revealed that 58 percent of respondents believe Trump has overstepped in his deportation efforts.

This disapproval may be intensified by recent incidents involving ICE agents, including the controversial killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, which ignited protests and allegations of excessive force by federal agents.

Rogan's criticisms of Trump extend beyond immigration policy. Earlier this month, he questioned Trump's decision to engage in military action against Iran. “It just seems so insane based on what he ran on,” Rogan remarked. “I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on ‘No more wars, end these stupid, senseless wars,’ and then we have one that we can’t even really clearly define why we did it.”