Influencer Hasan Piker Claims U.S. Has Caused More Terrorism Globally Than Al-Qaeda
The streamer, who has campaigned with Democratic lawmakers, argued that U.S. actions abroad constitute terror.
Hasan Piker, a prominent Democratic-aligned influencer and self-identified Marxist, has asserted that the United States has committed more terrorism globally than al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
"Pound for pound, as far as the number of deaths, yes, we have caused tremendous terror all around the world," Piker stated in an interview with Axios. He added that this includes terror waged on civilian populations and nations, as well as consequences for Americans.
Piker cited the bombing of an Iranian school in Minab on February 28 as an example of U.S. terrorism. According to Iranian officials, the strike killed approximately 160 individuals, including 120 children. Piker described the incident, which reportedly involved Tomahawk missiles, as an act of terror, stating, "There's no distinction between blowing up a school, triple tapping it with Tomahawk missiles. If you're killing 140 schoolgirls, that is an act of terror."
A recent United Nations mission indicated that there was reason to believe the U.S. strike on the school constituted a war crime, Reuters reported. The U.S. military stated the school was adjacent to an Iranian military complex and that targeting information may have been outdated. The same UN report also accused Iran of committing crimes against humanity.
Piker, who has over 8.5 million followers across social media platforms, has campaigned for several Democratic candidates, including Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and various New York House candidates.
His past controversial remarks, including a comment that America deserved 9/11 for which he later apologized, have made him a polarizing figure. Candidates he has supported have sometimes distanced themselves from him. El-Sayed has referred to Piker as simply a "streamer in California," emphasizing his engagement with Piker's audience rather than Piker himself.
Prior to Piker's recent comments on al-Qaeda, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had publicly condemned Piker's rhetoric as "unacceptable."
Piker, the son of a Turkish executive, spent part of his upbringing in Istanbul and Ankara before attending college in New Jersey. He began his media career on The Young Turks, a progressive talk show co-created by his uncle, Cenk Uygur.