Joe Rogan: Two Former Presidents Contacted Spotify About His Podcast

Joe Rogan claimed on a June 2025 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, featuring Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, that two unnamed former U.S. presidents contacted Spotify in 2022 to express concerns about his COVID-19 commentary. 

The controversy stemmed from Rogan’s discussions, particularly a 2021 Instagram post where he revealed using ivermectin to treat his COVID-19 infection, which drew criticism for promoting unproven treatments. 

Critics, including progressive groups and musicians like Neil Young, who removed his music from Spotify in protest, accused Rogan of spreading misinformation. 

Rogan said the calls from the former presidents were part of a broader push to censor his podcast, which he described as a “wake-up call” about media bias. 

Spotify faced backlash but did not remove Rogan’s show, with CEO Daniel Ek stating in 2022 that the platform’s policies wouldn’t change based on one creator. 

Some episodes were removed, though Rogan’s podcast gained two million subscribers during the controversy. Speculation on X suggests the presidents could be Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, but Rogan did not disclose their identities. No definitive evidence confirms which presidents were involved