Leftist streamer sparks online firestorm over speech to College Dems in Mao-style suit: 'They're communists'
Far-left political influencer Hasan Piker sparked heated backlash over the weekend after addressing a group of college students wearing an outfit resembling the wardrobe of former communist dictator Mao Zedong.
"No more to Trumpism, but no more to the Democrats who compromise, who conciliate, and who betray us," Piker said to applause at the 2026 College Democrats of America summer convention in a clip that was widely shared on social media, including by the account DSA Watch, which called the appearance a "Hitler style speech" and was viewed over a million times.
Piker continued, "No more to the fascist reactionaries, but no more to the Democrats who will collaborate and cooperate with the fascists, who will fund ICE, who will fund Israel, who will help poison the planet, who will stiff workers and help bosses."
The appearance, and specifically the Mao-style suit, generated instant outrage on social media.
"Hasan Piker dressed as Mao, brainwashing your kids at college," former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality TV star Spencer Pratt posted on X. "They’re communists. This was always communism. "
Pratt added, "Mao killed more people than Hitler. If Hasan Piker had dressed like a Nazi, we'd have an appropriate outrage. But because commies have infiltrated all our institutions & lied about how evil they are, we don't get the National Socialists were no worse than all other socialists. "
"We can all agree that dressing up as Mao while preaching this faculty lounge cosplay communism is a little on the nose, right? " GOP strategist Matt Whitlock posted on X.
Atlantic Council senior fellow Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib responded on X saying, "The transformation of Hasan Piker is nearing completion: dressed up as Chairman Mao whom he called ‘one of the great leaders of this world who changed the entire universe,’ he & his followers are attempting a cultural takeover of the Democratic Party, which is letting them in."
"Serious issues aside, it remains funny to me the amount of costumery required to be a Leftist in good standing," CNN political commentator Scott Jennings posted on X.
A spokesperson for pro-Israel watchdog group Canary Mission told Fox News Digital that Piker is a "malicious figure who has repeatedly faced criticism for rhetoric supporting terrorism" and that the decision to host him "reflects the growing influence of socialist and extremist voices within the Democratic Party."
Piker, who has previously expressed admiration for Mao Zedong, the Chinese Communist revolutionary whose policies historians estimate contributed to the deaths of tens of millions of people, responded to the DSA Watch post on X saying, "no more to fascist trumpism and no more to the democrats who collaborate w fascists by funding ice and israel is a hitler style speech to you? "
Fox News Digital reached out to Piker’s team for comment.
Piker, backed by roughly 10 million followers across various internet platforms, has endorsed several far-left candidates across the country, including campaigning with Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, as the Democratic Party grapples with a socialist wave of candidates that have won elections across the country.
Various campaigns and candidates have faced criticism for associating with Piker, a streamer who has made a variety of inflammatory comments including that the United States "deserved" 9/11.
"I never would and never will criticize Mao Zedong," Piker said earlier this year in a clip that is currently recirculating on social media. "One of the great leaders of this world."
A College Democrats of America Executive Board member at a college in New York told Fox News Digital that the group "platforming someone like Hasan Piker is antithetical to the party that common sense democrats are trying to present to the American people before November’s midterms."
The board member added, "We have a golden opportunity to stand up to Trump’s corrupt and authoritarian brand of politics, fight against the MAGA affordability crisis, and restore congressional checks on an executive branch that has far overreached its role in our government. Platforming malignant outside actors, such as Piker, who actively work to cloud our policy platform will only harm our broad electability amongst average voters."
Fox News Digital reached out to College Democrats of America for comment.