A video featuring Twitch streamer Hasan Piker praising Mao Zedong has circulated online following his speech at the College Democrats of America's national convention in Washington on July 20, 2026. In the video, Piker recounted an encounter with a police officer in Tiananmen Square during a trip to China in November 2025, stating, "I got stopped by a cop who thought I was making fun of Mao Zedong, which I never would and never will. Mao Zedong is one of the great leaders of this world, OK? A man who changed the entire universe, the entire planet."
Piker acknowledged the excesses of Mao's rule but emphasized that the People's Republic of China would not exist without him. Mao Zedong founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and led until his death in 1976. Estimates of deaths related to the Great Leap Forward range from 23 million to 55 million, with 30 million being the most frequently cited figure, according to the Association of Asian Studies.
Piker's remarks have drawn criticism from various Democratic activists and political commentators. Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand for Action, criticized Piker's appearance and comments, stating that he should be held accountable by voters, particularly those campaigning alongside him, such as Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Fox News reached out to the Democratic National Committee and El-Sayed for comments but did not receive an immediate response. Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt compared Piker's praise for Mao to praise for Adolf Hitler.