Joe Rogan has railed against what he described as the “crazy” new plaques that were recently installed on President Donald Trump’s Presidential Walk of Fame.
These plaques, which sit underneath the portraits of various presidents on the famous walkway, sharply criticize Trump’s Democratic predecessors, while repeatedly praising the president.
Why It Matters
Rogan, host of one of the country’s most popular podcasts, endorsed Trump in the 2024 election and later attended his inauguration. He is part of a cohort of male podcasts credited with helping to boost Trump’s popularity, particularly with young men.
However, the podcaster does not hold back on his criticism of Trump or the administration, and over the past year he has attacked Trump’s immigration policy and his handling of the Epstein files.
Since returning to office, Trump has made multiple efforts to remake the White House in his own image, from adorning the Oval Office in gold to converting the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio and demolishing the East Wing to build a large ballroom.
The plaques proved controversial upon their installation, and they are indicative of a break in how presidents treat their predecessors.
What To Know
Rogan discussed the plaques on an episode of his podcast with the comedian Shane Gillis.
Rogan repeatedly described the plaques as “crazy” and said that historians should be writing these kinds of plaques, rather than the current president.
He said that somebody “needs to tell him like, ‘Hey, this is not good. You can’t do that, because other people could do that too, and then the White House stops being the White House,’ and it becomes whoever is in its house, where he could just go crazy and say everybody else is a crook.”
Gillis said that future presidents would not follow suit in this style and suggested that California Governor Gavin Newsom, who many speculate will run for president in 2028, would not do the same thing.
Rogan disagreed. “Of course he would,” he said. “He copies everything that Trump does.”
The podcaster is a frequent and outspoken critic of Newsom and his policies.
What People Are Saying
Podcaster Joe Rogan, speaking about the plaques during the episode: “This is so crazy. You shouldn’t be allowed to do this, right? It should be like, historians.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement previously shared to Newsweek: “The plaques are eloquently written descriptions of each President and the legacy they left behind. As a student of history, many were written directly by the President himself.”
Former vice president Kamala Harris, a Democrat who lost the 2024 election to Trump, said on Jimmy Kimmel’s show on Wednesday: “The idea that those plaques would have been placed by a president of the United States to talk about former presidents of the United States, the American people deserve better.”
What Happens Next?
Trump’s White House renovations continue to raise eyebrows in response to their scale, cost, and impact on the historic residence. Attention and scrutiny from across the political aisle are likely to continue as changes are made to the People’s House.