Hasan Piker Claims U.S. Is ‘Pound for Pound’ Worse Than Al-Qaeda Ahead of Midterms

Streaming socialist Hasan Piker claims U.S. is worse than al-Qaeda, sparking GOP backlash and Democratic debate.

September 17, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — A far-left streamer has sparked controversy by claiming the United States is ‘pound for pound’ worse than al-Qaeda, drawing sharp criticism from Republicans and internal Democratic debates.

Hasan Piker, a self-described socialist with millions of followers on Twitch, made the remark in an interview with Axios, which later accused the outlet of distorting his comments. The statement comes as Republicans seek to frame him as a symbol of the Democratic Party’s radical left ahead of the November midterms.

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Piker has faced scrutiny over past remarks, including his assertion that America ‘deserved 9/11’ and that Hamas is ‘a thousand times better’ than Israel. While some Democrats have supported him, others have criticized his rhetoric, particularly after he linked U.S. military actions in Iran to terrorism. Republicans have used his comments to attack Democratic candidates, accusing them of aligning with extremists.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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