The New York Times made a subtle change to a headline of a contentious editorial concerning Hasan Piker, a far-left Twitch streamer known for his provocative statement that “America deserves 9/11.” This shift came after criticism of a column that labeled pro-Palestinian activists as “not the enemy.”
As of Monday morning, that headline was updated to read, “This is why there’s no liberal Joe Rogan.”
In his article, Klein discusses the internal debate within the Democratic Party regarding whether mainstream politicians should engage with Piker’s Twitch platform. He also urged Democratic candidates to join podcasts run by party critics, like Joe Rogan.
“While I disagree with Piker on many issues, I don’t consider him a ‘Jew-hater.’ He simply holds anti-Zionist views,” Klein stated. “This illustrates the significant stakes involved in this discourse.”
Users on X urged the Times to reconsider the headline, with some claiming the paper was downplaying Piker’s views.
One user expressed disbelief: “Wow, @nytimes, are you planning to explain the reasons for the headline change in this piece about @ezraklein’s @hasanthehun? Who did you acquiesce to?”
Another commented, “Even @nytimes found it odd to imply that someone who said ‘America deserved 9/11’ was not an adversary. They didn’t alter the main narrative but did soften the headline.”
Another user described the situation as perplexing, stating, “It’s absurd to see centrist leftists supporting Piker. He’s like the Nick Fuentes of the left, and yet he’s welcomed at events. His views are disturbingly extreme, and his intelligence is questionable.”
Pro-Israel critic Heng Majig commented: “It’s comforting to think that if we let people spread falsehoods about Israel, it might reduce animosity towards Jewish communities abroad. But, in reality, such hatred has little to do with our actions.”
Writer Robbie Soave argued that claims of anti-Semitism toward Piker might be inflated, adding that he personally disagrees with Piker’s questionable admiration for China’s authoritarian regime.
A spokesperson for the Times mentioned that the paper frequently experiments with headlines. “We write several accurate options and select ones that resonate with readers,” Times rep Charlie Stadtlander said.
Piker, who has over 3 million followers on Twitch, sparked major controversy back in 2019 with his comment regarding 9/11, leading to a suspension that lingers over him. He has faced criticism over his remarks endorsing political violence, once suggesting that action be taken against a Republican senator.
His friction with Twitch has been ongoing, especially regarding content policies and past remarks. Notably, he had backlash for hosting controversial figures.
In 2024, he interviewed a Yemeni individual linked to Houthi militants, but later claimed the individual had no affiliation with armed groups, stirring worries about the potential spread of misinformation.
Jonathan Greenblatt, president of the Anti-Defamation League, has called Piker one of the most vocal and harmful anti-Semitic influencers today. The ADL has repeatedly accused him of supporting extremist narratives and endorsing Hamas’s attacks, based on his discussions about Israel and his associations.
Piker denies these accusations, framing his remarks as political commentary.
The Post has reached out to Piker for his perspective.
