The well-known podcaster Joe Rogan just suggested that Republicans, given the precedent that has now been set by the Democrats, could prosecute former President Barack Obama. 

Rogan, according to Newsweek, specifically suggested that Obama could be prosecuted for a controversial drone strike that he ordered in 2011, one that killed  U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki.

Before going any further, it has to be noted that Rogan was not advocating for Obama to be prosecuted. Rather, he was simply highlighting the possibility that Republicans can now try to weaponize the legal system against the Democrats, just as the Democrats have weaponized it against them.

And, here, Rogan was clearly referring to the recent prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

Rogan tells it like it is

This all occurred during an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that was broadcast on June 5, 2024. Rogan began by telling the truth about the prosecution of Trump, namely, that Democrats are merely trying to use the legal system to stop Trump from running for president.

"They're trying to stop this other guy from even running [for president] and they're exposing how corrupt the democracy is. They're exposing how corrupt the system is just by charging this guy with 34 felonies for paying off a lady he had sex with. Like what?" Rogan said.

The podcaster, of course, was referring to the so-called hush-money case, the same case in which Trump was recently found guilty of what many legal experts consider to be sham charges.

Rogan went on to say, "What's scary is how many Democrats are willing to allow this kind of stuff to happen, and a lot of them are aware of it."

It was here that Rogan argued that the Democrats' prosecution of Trump sets a very dangerous precedent for our country.

Obama war crimes?

Rogan suggested that, if the prosecution of one's political opponent is now allowed, then past presidents could be prosecuted for all sorts of things. And, this is when Rogan brought up the Obama incident.

"Obama, during the administration, they dropped a drone on a U.S. citizen. No trial, no nothing," Rogan said.

This is true. As mentioned earlier, the Obama administration conducted a drone strike, in 2011, on U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen, killing him. Then, two weeks later, another drone strike killed his 16-year-old son.

Obama received much criticism for this, at the time, with many arguing that it violated al-Awlaki's due process rights. But, his administration justified the strike on the grounds that al-Awlaki had alleged ties to terrorist groups and that he, thus, was a legitimate war target.

Regardless of your opinion about the strike, Rogan's point stands: if prosecuting one's political opponents is now the norm, then former presidents - including Obama - better start watching their backs.