American podcaster Joe Rogan has launched a scathing attack on both US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing them of escalating the Ukraine-Russia conflict to the point of potentially triggering a global war.
In his recent podcast, Rogan criticised Biden for green-lighting Zelensky’s request to use American-made long-range missiles against Russian forces, a decision he believes could have catastrophic consequences. “How are you allowed to do that when you’re on your way out? There should be some sort of pause for significant actions that could potentially start World War III,” Rogan said, according to a report in The New York Post.
Biden recently approved the Ukrainian president’s request to use US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) in the war against Russia. The approval followed months of Zelensky’s appeals to Washington for advanced weapons to strengthen Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion, which began in 2022. In response, the UK also authorised the use of its Storm Shadow missiles, a weapon comparable to the ATACMS.
Moscow reacted to these developments by launching a new hypersonic missile at Ukraine, which can carry nuclear payloads. The Kremlin warned the missile’s extensive range could target the US directly, escalating the threat of nuclear conflict.
Rogan laid the blame for the intensifying conflict squarely on Ukraine, dismissing Zelensky’s claims that Russia was struggling due to its faltering invasion and mounting casualties. “Zelensky says Putin is terrified,” Rogan said, adding, “You people are about to start World War III.”
The UFC commentator also expressed his concerns about the Biden administration’s role in the crisis, suggesting their actions could lead to devastating consequences. “Maybe that would be a good thing we would like to avoid from a dying former president,” Rogan remarked, referring to Biden, who is 82 years old.
Rogan also expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump could end the war. Trump has previously hinted at negotiating a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. It could involve Russia retaining the territories it has occupied, a proposition Zelensky and Ukraine have firmly rejected.
Rogan’s comments are not the first from public figures warning the current trajectory of the war could lead to a broader global conflict. Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s former military chief, suggested the involvement of North Korean soldiers and Iranian weapons on the frontlines of the conflict signalled the beginning of World War III.