Crooked Media’s podcast "Pod Save America" was accused on August 10, 2026, by former Biden staffer Michael LaRosa of deleting a social media clip that featured Chris Hayes criticizing Hasan Piker's ties to Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. LaRosa claimed the clip was removed from their X page before 9 a.m. that day.

"Pod Save America," a progressive podcast run by former Obama staffers, had hosted MS NOW's Chris Hayes in a recent episode to discuss Democratic politics. During the discussion, Hayes addressed El-Sayed’s association with Piker, a controversial far-left streamer known for incendiary remarks, including blaming America for the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and praising dictators such as Mao Zedong and Fidel Castro.

Hayes acknowledged the challenges of Piker’s rhetoric, stating, "I don’t think it makes a ton of sense in a general election, frankly, to campaign with Hasan Piker. I think you also can’t control what a 35-year-old streamer is going to say." He added, "If Hasan Piker wants to contribute to the success of the movement, he’s probably going to have to watch what he says a lot more," and remarked on the volume of Piker’s streaming, "This is a dude that streams like seven days a week for years, do you know the amount of words he said? Like, you’re going to say some stuff."

The clip’s removal sparked backlash, prompting the podcast to repost a longer version. At the center of the controversy is El-Sayed’s campaign with Piker, which has drawn criticism from various quarters. Julian Epstein, former chief legal counsel for House Democrats during the Clinton impeachment and a Hillary Clinton campaign staffer, recently stated he would support the Republican candidate against El-Sayed due to his association with Piker.

"Pod Save America" has previously drawn criticism from Biden allies, notably when its co-hosts were among the first prominent Democrats to call for President Joe Biden to step aside during the 2024 presidential election.

Sources