Jon Ossoff distances himself from left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, joining several Democrats

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff distanced himself from left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who has called Ossoff a “dark-horse” presidential candidate, citing Piker’s “reckless and dangerous rhetoric” about American Jews.

Ossoff is facing criticism from some of his state’s local Jewish community over his votes to block certain arms sales to Israel. He has joined a chorus of Democrats who criticized Piker this week over recent comments that many interpreted as justifying threats to American Jews, including a number of Democratic politicians.

Speaking on a Twitch livestream on Aug. 20, Piker stated, “If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone’s going to come around and take action.” Piker added, “Not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews.”

An Ossoff spokesperson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday that he “unreservedly rejects reckless and dangerous rhetoric suggesting that policy advocacy invites violence against the Jewish community or any community.”

“American Jews and all Americans must have the freedom and security to speak out and petition their government without fear of reprisal,” the spokesperson added.

Ossoff’s politics and sharp criticism of US President Donald Trump have generated buzz about him potentially running for president in 2028, and have attracted some left-wing figures who have lauded his messaging.

Piker was initially among those figures, telling the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in April that he was “intrigued” by Ossoff.

“I think he’s very charismatic, and he’s done things that I’ve found to be interesting, given his position in Georgia, when he was one of the first lone voices in the Senate that actually was critical about sending aid to Israel early on,” Piker said at the time. “I was like, that’s a unique position for - he’s Jewish as well - for a young American Jew to take in Georgia.”

Piker said that he heard from young Georgian Jews in his online community who “could not believe that their synagogues and their rabbis and their organizations in their communities took out like a full page ad yelling at Jon Ossoff for taking a stance against arming the State of Israel.”

Several Democrats condemn Piker's comments

Ossoff’s campaign had never responded to requests for comment about Piker until Thursday, as a slew of Democrats condemned the anti-Israel streamer’s comments.

Later that day, Piker was decidedly less enthusiastic about Ossoff when speaking on his stream.

“I don’t like Jon Ossoff,” Piker said, adding that he had “wanted to see if he had the right instincts” before declaring himself a full-fledged supporter.

“This is a moment where it’s very clear that he does not have the right instincts,” he added.

Piker: Ossoff’s Israel stance sparked my interest in him as a Senator

In a post on X/Twitter, Piker also explained how Ossoff’s Israel stance was what sparked his initial excitement about the senator.

“i think jon ossoff’s best strengths came from his lack of interest in attacking his left flank & focusing on trump’s corruption & scandals instead,” Piker wrote. “i said he was a dark horse because he’s been smart enough to back restrictions on weapons transfers to israel at times regardless of his incredibly conservative voting track record otherwise.”

The clash between Ossoff and Piker comes as members of the Jewish community in Atlanta have criticized the Jewish Democrat, largely over his votes to block certain arms sales to Israel. Ossoff is running for reelection in November in a high-profile battle against Republican Rep. Mike Collins that could determine which party controls the Senate.

Ossoff first voted to block weapons sales to Israel in November 2024, spurring a critical open letter from several Georgia Jewish organizations, including synagogues, Jewish schools, the local Anti-Defamation League chapter, and other groups. His vote also drew the attention of AIPAC, which released 30-second ads attacking US senators - including Ossoff - who had voted to block weapons sales.

Michael Morris, publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, penned an open letter earlier this month blasting Ossoff for voting to block weapons sales to Israel again in July 2025 and April 2026. 

“I hear you claim, over and over again, that you support Israel - that your support is ‘ironclad,’” Morris wrote. “It is not.”

Morris accused Ossoff in the letter of “lying to me and your constituents” about his support for Israel. Days later, Republican former house speaker Newt Gingrich appeared to run with that accusation in a post that attacked Ossoff, in response to the Senator’s remark about Trump and his aide Natalie Harp.

“Ossoff routinely lies as the Jewish leaders in Atlanta pointed out recently, and we should accept that he is a profoundly dishonest politician with no sense of honor,” Gingrich wrote.

Asked about Ossoff’s comments on Piker, Morris told JTA he agreed with the statement, but that it wasn’t enough to win his support.

“It’s better than him supporting Piker - absolutely, 100%,” Morris said. “But, you know, talk is cheap, and trying to push one extremist a little bit out of the envelope - it’s one little step forward. Very little.”