SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

Hasan Piker says his role is not to serve the Democratic Party, names AOC as his 2028 presidential pick

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, speaking at the 2026 Socialism Conference in Chicago, told Fox News that his job is "not to make the Democratic Party look good." Piker named Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as his preferred 2028 presidential candidate if she enters the race. He also said he has not spoken with anyone from the DNC and has no plans to moderate his positions.

Hasan Piker, a 35-year-old Twitch streamer aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, sat for an exclusive interview with Fox News at the 2026 Socialism Conference in Chicago, where he addressed criticism from within the Democratic Party and outlined his plans ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle.

Piker said Democratic officials have not contacted him to coordinate messaging. "I have not had a conversation with anyone from the DNC," he said, adding, "That would be very funny." He acknowledged that allies have urged him to moderate his rhetoric for the sake of candidates he supports, but said he intends to continue operating independently.

When asked about his 2019 statement that America "deserved 9/11" — a comment condemned by politicians across party lines — Piker said he should not have used the word "deserved," but maintained that the underlying argument, that U.S. involvement in the Middle East contributed to the attacks, "is not a controversial thing." He said the controversy stemmed from his word choice rather than the substance of his point.