The ABC is set to air the return of its Planet America program on Monday night as the US midterm elections gain steam, with a new episode featuring the leftwing commentator Hasan Piker. Host John Barron said the episode will focus on the “rise of Democratic socialists and the populist left”, with Piker speaking about “what it’s like in the eye of a political storm”. But the appearance quickly sparked the ire of conservatives in Australia. News Corp’s News24 host James Morrow was deeply critical of the interview on Friday, wondering if there was “something in the water at the ABC’s Ultimo HQ that makes them think they are immune to consequences”. “If the ABC wants to have this clown on their network, that’s their business, but let them do it without our tax dollars,” he challenged last week. Barron has urged critics to watch the appearance before casting judgment, saying he’s not surprised that “some of the usual suspects are outraged, OUTRAGED, that we would even speak to Piker”. “Like it or not, he’s a central figure in the 2026 US election,” Barron wrote on X. “I was prepared to talk to Piker about his role in this election just as I was prepared to talk to @seanhannity about his role in the 2012 election … relevance.” So who is Hasan Piker, and why does he have some in a tailspin? Streaming to millions Piker, 35, is an extremely popular figure in left-leaning politics in the US, with more than 3 million followers on Twitch and millions more on YouTube and Instagram. He streams on the internet nearly every day, sometimes for eight hours at a time, and has been heralded as a modern-day kingmaker for progressive Democrats. He has built a legion of fans – many whom are young men – with regular discourse about American foreign policy, capitalism, his support for LGBTQ+ rights and for a willingness to heap criticism on the Democratic establishment. He’s described himself as a “megaphone”, amplifying frustrations with “establishment liberalism”, not as a change maker himself. His readiness to champion progressive challengers over established figures has angered some top Democrats. He’s also become a frequent target of the Murdoch empire in the US, with Fox News publishing running criticism of his commentary. Piker’s opinions are unfiltered and, at times, extreme. In 2019, as part of a broader critique of American foreign policy, he said the US “deserved” the September 11 terrorist attacks (he later apologised for the remark). He’s also a frequent and vocal critic of Israel’s leadership and claimed he would “vote for Hamas over Israel every single time”. He maintains he’s not antisemitic, but strongly against Zionism and the country’s policy on the war in Gaza and Palestinians. “I have no issues getting vilified by people on the right. I love when my enemies hate me,” he told the Guardian in December. “It is what it is: they talk shit; what are you gonna do?” But Piker’s comments have landed him in hot water. The British government banned him from entering the country for a speaking engagement in June, saying at the time his presence “may not be conducive to the public good”. Complaints to ABC Piker was last on the ABC in September to speak about the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The streamer spoke to Sarah Ferguson for 7.30, saying he was “horrified” at the killing, which came just weeks before the pair were set to debate each other. The appearance prompted 68 complaints to the ABC, with viewers suggesting the national broadcaster should not have platformed Piker “as he is a far-left extremist” and had made “unsupported adverse claims about Mr Kirk’s past remarks”. The ombudsman determined the appearance did not breach the ABC’s editorial standards. Ferguson also interviewed Trump kingmaker Steve Bannon during the US president’s first administration, which prompted its own criticism. The ABC did not have an ombudsman at the time. Morrow wondered if Piker’s latest appearance could lead to a similar outcome, pointing to the ABC bowing to criticism in recent weeks. The network’s managing director, Hugh Marks, apologised to Gina Rinehart after airing a short documentary for its Race Around the World program that included crude and offensive comments about the mining billionaire. While the ABC ombudsman found it did not breach any editorial policies, Marks said it had fallen “short of community expectations” and that the ABC would change its editorial guidance. ‘It makes sense to hear from him’ Barron has defended the interview on X in recent days, saying Piker’s position in American politics is more relevant than ever due to the surge in progressive Democrats. “He’s become a central figure in this year’s election, it makes sense to hear from him,” Barron wrote to a critic about Piker. Barron said he had also interviewed Roger Stone, a longtime friend and ally of Trump who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2020 before he was granted clemency by the president. “If you watch, I’ll be interested to know if it confirms your concerns or overcomes them,” he went on. “Either way, we choose guests of all stripes based on interest and relevance.”
