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Joe Rogan on Tuesday discussed his appearance at the White House this week, addressing backlash from critics and clarifying what actually happened during his interactions with President Donald Trump.
“People are pissed because I was at the White House?” Rogan asked comedian Luis J. Gomez during Tuesday’s episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” after Gomez noted some were criticizing Rogan online.
“They’re like, ‘Yo, Joe, you can’t be at the f—ing White House, Joe. You said you were f—ing politically homeless,’” Gomez said.
“I am,” Rogan said. “He [Trump] joked about it. He called me a liberal during the whole thing. He’s like [Rogan doing Trump voice], “Joe, he’s very liberal.”
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Rogan said President Donald Trump responded positively to his comments on ibogaine, telling him expanding psychedelic research would be “a good thing for the soldiers” and others struggling with addiction. (Getty Images/”JRE”)
Rogan also pushed back on claims that Trump confronted him at a UFC event, saying the narrative circulating online was inaccurate.
“The other thing — the big conspiracy theory — is that Trump is mad at you and he came up to the UFC, and he was, he was talking s— to you,” Gomez said.
“It was literally the opposite,” Rogan said. “He came to me, and he said, ‘It’s done. We’re going to take care of this. It’s a good thing for the soldiers, good thing for everybody.’”
Rogan said the interaction stemmed from his advocacy for ibogaine, a plant-based psychedelic he argued has shown effectiveness in treating addiction and PTSD, particularly among veterans.
“I told him about it. I told him how effective it is,” Rogan said. “And I said it’s been held up for so long.”
Joe Rogan said backlash followed his White House visit, telling listeners some critics were “pissed” and questioned his claim of being politically independent. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
He added that Trump appeared open to advancing approval pathways for such treatments after hearing about the issue.
“He said, ‘What are you looking for? You looking for FDA approval?’ He goes, ‘It sounds good to me.’”
Rogan also criticized federal drug policy, arguing that current classifications are inconsistent and rooted in political decisions rather than medical evidence.
“These drugs are not illegal because they’re harmful,” Rogan said. “Alcohol is harmful. It’s legal. Oxycodone is harmful. It’s legal.
“They’re illegal because of the 1970s Controlled Substances Act. They wanted to silence the anti-war people and the civil rights people.”
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President Donald Trump holds up an executive order giving ibogaine drug clearance in the Oval Office of the White House April 18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
Rogan also emphasized caution, even while acknowledging the potential benefits of psychedelic treatments under controlled conditions.
“I think it should be regulated, make sure it’s pure and make sure that it’s administered by people who know what they’re doing,” Rogan said.
“You can’t do it if you have a bad heart. Apparently it’s really rough,” Rogan said. “But the people that I know that have done it, it’s rescued them.”
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Rogan reflected on broader questions of legality of alcohol and personal choice when it comes to substances.
“If alcohol is legal — and I think it should be – it’s one of the worst ones for you,” Rogan said, “If that s— is legal … how many people does it harm?”
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