Podcaster Joe Rogan has taken aim at the U.S. media, criticizing their spotlight on late-night host Jimmy Kimmel instead of what he sees as a troubling decline in free speech in the UK.
Kimmel’s remarks regarding the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk have led to a temporary halt of his show, generating significant backlash and sparking debates about censorship.
Rogan believes that focusing on Kimmel detracts from a broader issue he’s identified as a crackdown on speech across Britain and Europe. He pointed out growing concerns about the UK government’s proposed digital ID initiative, which some fear could be used to suppress criticism.
In a social media post, he cited a staggering figure: 12,000 arrests annually linked to social media posts in the UK. “You’re witnessing an all-out assault on one of the most fundamental tenets of Western society—your right to express yourself…”
“These folks aren’t looking for violence,” Rogan continued. “People are getting arrested for things that seem minor. Some are even investigated over innocuous posts.”
“It’s happening in a place where British police have recently arrested around 120,000 individuals after implementing digital IDs. This resembles a scene straight out of Orwell’s worst nightmares, unfolding right before us, and hardly anyone seems to notice.”
He pointed out that many Americans seem angrier about talk show banter than they are about the infringement on civil liberties occurring in the English-speaking world.
“It’s odd that no one in the U.S. gets particularly riled up over what’s transpiring in the UK. Sure, there’s chatter online, but the outrage is often directed more at Kimmel’s remarks rather than the larger implications of free speech erosion,” he noted.
Rogan suggested that Kimmel’s situation has created a false sense of power for Americans while foreign governments operate quietly to increase their control. He compared the restrictions imposed by the British government to a wrestling maneuver, warning that citizens risk losing essential freedoms.
The conversation around free speech in the UK has become particularly polarized in recent years, especially regarding topics like immigration and gender issues.
Many of these divisions were evident during the “kingdom” rally in London on September 13, 2025, where tens of thousands of protesters gathered, waving Union Jack and St. George flags outside Parliament.
