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Theo Von is one of the most prominent podcasters in the game right now, yet his recent appearance on fellow comedian Joe Rogan's podcast saw him become the subject of backlash over comments made regarding the ongoing war in Iran.
Von, like Joe Rogan, was a prominent player in discourse surrounding the 2024 election and featured Donald Trump on his podcast just a few months before votes were officially cast.
While he hasn't explicitly aligned himself with any political party – expressing what many believe to be broadly populist and working-class-favored views – Von has appeared to agree with both sides on many issues and launched criticism towards President Trump following recent major policy.
Specifically, as reported by the Independent, both Von and Rogan have expressed their strong opposition to military action in Iran and the former has received backlash from some individuals who objected to a comment he made about sending troops into active combat.
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Speaking on the podcast, Von proclaimed: "I'm sick of rich people not putting their f***ing kids over in these wars. Put your f***ing honkey a** kids up there. Let them go shed some f***ing blood."
Some took this as support for military action, especially in reference to the 'bloodshed' suggestion at the end, but Von has since issued a statement on social media explaining his intentions and clarifying his position on the matter.
"I meant the elites and politicians that are leading us into these wars might make different choices if it was their children," Von wrote on X, implying that the distance that these leading figures create from the death of actual American soldiers helps them be more carefree with warmongering actions.
"It was hard for me to be angry and talk at the same time," he added. "I am thankful for to [sic] our troops who serve and are far braver than me. And also wtf do I know."
Many appear to agree with his sentiment in the replies underneath the post, with one urging him to "never apologize for being authentic. I've been exactly where you are and it's hard not to feel incredibly angry."
Another added that "it's a solid point, if pro war politicians and their corporate sponsors family members had to be on the front lines of the wars they support, most wars would never start."
There are some that have criticised his role in electing Trump in the first place, however, arguing that this would have likely not happened – at least in the manner it is now – had major figures like Von or Rogan platformed the current president to their sizeable audiences.
