On The Joe Rogan Experience #2481, comedian Duncan Trussell delivered a critique of Donald Trump‘s anti-war messaging, openly admitting that he once believed it. During the conversation with host Joe Rogan, Trussell reflected on his frustration with recent geopolitical developments and expressed genuine regret over having bought into promises that now feel broken.
The conversation took a more serious turn when Trussell brought up the ongoing conflict with Iran and his frustration with how events have unfolded.
“I do not like getting political, but this war bugs the f**k out of me,” he said. “This is exactly what seems to have happened to the MAGA-verse, which is we are now at the part where the cult leader’s like… I feel so dumb because when they were doing their no war thing, that was a big deal to me. I’m like, yes, this is great. No more wars. Focus on the country. Why are we blowing up children in other countries for oil? This is great.”
Trussell then described his disbelief at how dramatically the messaging appeared to shift over time. “Isn’t it mind-blowing that it is now literally flipped on its side?” he said. “It’s the opposite now. Now these people who really blatantly said, ‘Oh, just, we’re not going to do any more wars.'”
As the discussion continued, Trussell asked for past footage of Trump’s anti-war statements to be pulled up, questioning how supporters continue to reconcile the change.
“How do they… how does anybody… this is where it gets culty, because some people are still making this work in their heads,” he said.
He went on to compare the situation to a moment of realization within a cult, suggesting that political messaging often follows predictable incentives.
“I think right now all of us are getting the briefcase Scientology moment, which is like, it doesn’t matter what mask the person calling themselves the president is wearing,” he said. “It’s always going to be the same thing. They’re going to analyze the market. They’re going to say what they need to say to grab the most voters. And then they’re gonna keep blowing up people in the Middle East because of oil.”
Trussell was especially blunt about his own reaction, admitting that he had fully bought into the anti-war rhetoric at the time. “I just feel dumb because I really believed it, dude,” he said. “I believed that we would not do any more Middle Eastern wars. I fell for it. I really bought it, man.”
At the same time, he emphasized that many Americans shared similar hopes and shouldn’t feel ashamed for wanting an end to prolonged conflicts.
“I don’t think anybody should feel bad because a lot of us really disliked war,” he said. “A lot of us really, really disliked that our country’s been at war for 93% of its history. A lot of us really disliked the fact that politicians leave their offices and go work for Lockheed Martin, Halliburton, and wherever.”
