Hasan Piker went after Destiny during a recent stream, claiming his fellow streamer bears direct responsibility for growing Nick Fuentes’ audience.
Hasan pointed to Destiny’s repeated on-stream debates with the far-right figure as evidence. He also cited a 2022 IRL meetup between Destiny and Fuentes that was filmed and streamed, where the two shared a meal at a diner.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to make fun of Nick Fuentes on Leftovers,” Hasan said, referencing his former podcast with Ethan Klein. He argued that any coverage of extremist figures gives them exposure and potential growth, even when critical.
The comments brought back talk about a 2019 TrainwrecksTV panel that featured both Hasan and Destiny debating Fuentes alongside other major creators including Asmongold and Sargon of Akkad. The stream drew massive viewership at the time and remains a reference point in debates about platforming.
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Hasan frames his position as part of a “do not platform” philosophy. He believes engaging with extremists normalizes them to mainstream audiences, regardless of whether the engagement is adversarial.
Destiny has historically taken the opposite stance. He argues that debating extremists in public provides necessary pushback and exposes their ideas to scrutiny. In his view, refusing to engage allows these figures to spread their message unchallenged on their own platforms.
The two streamers were once close friends but have been feuding for years. Their split came amid disagreements over political strategy and debate tactics, with the Fuentes issue being one of several flashpoints.
Fuentes leads the “Groyper” movement and has been classified as an extremist by organizations including the ADL. He’s been banned from major platforms including Twitch, YouTube, and Twitter (before Elon Musk’s takeover). He now operates primarily through his own platform, Cozy.tv.
The 2022 IRL meetup Hasan referenced occurred during a period when Destiny was conducting multiple debates with Fuentes. Critics called the diner stream “humanizing,” while Destiny’s supporters characterized it as part of his broader adversarial engagement strategy.
The Trump connection
Fuentes gained his biggest mainstream attention boost outside the streaming world entirely. In November 2022, he attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with former President Donald Trump and Kanye West, generating national news coverage.
That event, combined with his AFPAC conferences and appearances in right-wing creator circles, likely did more for his profile than any individual streamer interaction. His association with Kanye West during the rapper’s controversial period brought him before audiences far beyond Twitch or YouTube politics.
Destiny himself has acknowledged contributing to Fuentes’ return to public consciousness through their engagements. Whether that constitutes “responsibility” for his rise remains a matter of debate within streaming communities.
