Gen Z political analyst Jahmiel Jackson joins 'Fox & Friends Weekend' to discuss the College Democrats of America hosting controversial speaker Hasan Piker at a convention in Washington DC. He then shares insight as to why socialists are appealing to Gen Z voters.

A resurfaced video showing far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker praising Mao Zedong circulated online Sunday night after he addressed the College Democrats of America’s national convention Saturday in Washington, prompting criticism from Democratic activists, political commentators and other public figures.

In the resurfaced livestream, Piker discussed being stopped by a police officer while visiting Tiananmen Square during a November 2025 trip to China.

"I got stopped by a cop who thought I was making fun of Mao Zedong, which I never would and never will," Piker said. "Mao Zedong is one of the great leaders of this world, OK? A man who changed the entire universe, the entire planet."

Piker later responded after viewers challenged his praise for the former Chinese Communist Party chairman, according to a transcript published by Vox.

Hasan Piker addresses the College Democrats of America convention before a past video of him praising Mao Zedong resurfaces online. (Florencia Tan Jun/Web Summit via Sportsfile via Getty Images)

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"There was a lot of f-----g excesses, let’s be real," Piker said. "But the People’s Republic of China would not exist without Mao Zedong."

Mao founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and led the country until his death in 1976. Estimates of deaths directly connected to the famine during Mao's Great Leap Forward range from 23 million to 55 million, with 30 million most frequently cited, according to the Association of Asian Studies.

The video resurfaced after Piker appeared at the College Democrats' July convention. The organization describes itself as the official collegiate arm of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Piker opened his convention speech by characterizing himself as an outsider seeking an "insurgency" within the Democratic Party.

Piker calls Mao "one of the great leaders of this world" in a resurfaced video that draws backlash from Democratic activists and commentators. (Getty Images)

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"It’s a great honor to be here in the heart of the American Empire, in the belly of the beast," Piker said. "I’m speaking to the future activists of the Democratic Party, but as an outsider currently pushing for an insurgency."

He urged the attendees to reject Democrats who compromise with Republicans and support funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Israel.

"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," Piker said. "We don’t need those Democrats anymore."

Moms Demand for Action founder Shannon Watts criticized Piker's appearance and clothing in an X post.

"Dressed like Mao and talking about how much he hates the majority of Democrats as an invited guest of @CollegeDems," Watts said. "Our party having a normal one."

Critics, including Shannon Watts and Spencer Pratt, condemned Piker’s Mao remarks after his appearance at the College Democrats’ national convention. (HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

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"Mao’s rule caused 40M deaths through policies like the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Making it one of the deadliest regimes in modern history."

Watts then urged voters to hold candidates who campaign with Piker accountable, specifically naming Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

"He is a dangerous, hateful extremist and anyone campaigning with him — including El Sayed — should be held accountable by voters," Watts said.

Fox News reached out to the DNC and El-Sayed for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality television personality Spencer Pratt compared Piker's praise for Mao to praise for Adolf Hitler.

CJ Womack is an associate editor at Fox News.

CJ joined Fox News Digital's team in 2026, which highlights the vital role journalism plays in shaping politics and culture. He has years of experience analyzing and reporting on the news media.

CJ graduated from Long Beach State University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Journalism. 

You can send news tips to cj.womack@fox.com and follow CJ on Twitter.

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