Everyone thinks they know how the world's most famous podcaster votes. If you spend five minutes on X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok, you’ll see people claiming Joe Rogan is a secret MAGA kingpin or a closeted liberal who just likes elk meat. But when the dust settled on the 2020 election, the reality was a lot weirder than the headlines suggested.
He didn't pick the "red" team. He didn't pick the "blue" team either.
So, who did Joe Rogan vote for in 2020? It’s a question that still fuels arguments in YouTube comment sections. Most people assume he went for Trump because of his later 2024 endorsement, or they think he stayed home. Neither is true.
The Libertarian Pivot: Jo Jorgensen
Honestly, the answer is Jo Jorgensen.
Rogan confirmed this himself during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. He admitted to pulling the lever for the Libertarian Party candidate.
Why? Because he felt stuck. Earlier in the 2020 primary cycle, Rogan had famously backed Bernie Sanders. He liked Bernie’s consistency. He liked that Bernie seemed like a "real person" who actually cared about the working class. But when Bernie dropped out and the choice became Donald Trump versus Joe Biden, Rogan hit a wall.
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He lived in California at the time. This is a huge detail people miss. In a deep blue state like California, a single vote for president doesn't "count" the same way it does in Pennsylvania or Michigan. Rogan knew Biden was going to win California regardless.
"I voted Libertarian. I voted Jo Jorgensen. I knew she didn't have a shot. I knew California was going to Biden no matter what and I couldn't [vote for him]." — Joe Rogan
He wasn't sold on Biden's mental acuity even back then. He often joked that Biden "can't talk right anymore." On the flip side, while he praised Trump’s energy, he wasn't ready to go all-in on the Republican ticket in 2020. Jorgensen was his "protest" vote—a way to support third-party visibility and legalizing drugs without feeling responsible for the two main options.
The Journey from Bernie to Jo
It’s a wild arc.
In early 2020, the media went into a total meltdown when Rogan said he’d "probably" vote for Bernie Sanders. The Democratic establishment didn't know whether to embrace the endorsement or run away from it because of Rogan’s controversial past.
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Once Bernie was out, the vibe shifted. Rogan started leaning into more libertarian and conservative critiques of the lockdowns and COVID-19 mandates. But even with that shift, he wasn't a "Trump guy" yet. He actually refused to have Trump on the show for years, calling him an "existential threat to democracy" at one point.
The 2020 vote was a snapshot of a man who felt politically homeless. He wanted the populism of Bernie but the personal freedoms of the Libertarians.
Why Jorgensen Made Sense for Him
- Drug Policy: Rogan has been a vocal advocate for ending the war on drugs for decades. Jorgensen’s platform was built on this.
- The "Throwaway" Logic: He’s admitted that if he lived in a swing state, he might have felt more pressure. In Cali? He felt free to go third-party.
- Anti-Establishment: He hates being told what to do. Both the DNC and the RNC represent "the machine" to him.
What Changed by 2024?
You can’t talk about his 2020 vote without acknowledging the massive pivot he made later.
By the time the 2024 election rolled around, the context changed. Rogan moved to Texas. He became much more vocal about government overreach. Finally, just hours before the 2024 election, he officially endorsed Donald Trump after a massive three-hour interview.
But back in 2020? He was still the guy who wanted Bernie Sanders but settled for a third-party academic named Jo Jorgensen.
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Actionable Insights for the Curious Listener
If you’re trying to understand Rogan’s political influence, don't look for a straight line. It’s a squiggle.
- Look at the Guest List: If you want to know where Rogan is heading politically, look at who he’s talking to. In 2020, it was a mix of left-wing icons like Cornel West and right-leaning figures.
- Don't Believe the Snippets: People love to take a 10-second clip of him laughing at a Trump joke and say "He's a Republican!" or a clip of him praising universal healthcare and say "He's a Democrat!" Neither tells the whole story.
- Check the State: Understand that his 2020 vote was heavily influenced by the fact that he was a California voter at the time.
The most important takeaway? Joe Rogan is a "vibes" voter. He votes for the person he thinks is the most "real" or the least "scripted." In 2020, that person—for him—wasn't on the main stage. It was the Libertarian choice.
Next time someone tells you Rogan was a Trump voter in 2020, you can tell them they're wrong. He was a Jorgensen guy.
Check out the full JRE archives from late 2020 if you want to hear his specific reasoning on why he couldn't pull the trigger for the two main parties back then. It's a masterclass in the "independent" mindset that now dominates modern media.