Young Turks’ Hasan Piker Addresses Controversies: ‘You Could Chalk It Up To English Being My Second Language’

On Thursday, “The Young Turks” (TYT) co-creator Cenk Uygur had network commentator Hasan Piker, who is Uygur’s nephew, on the program to discuss controversial statements he made on Tuesday night about 9/11 and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). During a Twitch livestream, Piker said “America deserved” the terror attacks on September 11, 2001 that left 3,000 innocents dead and viciously mocked Rep. Crenshaw, a former SEAL, for losing his eye during an IED explosion while serving overseas.

Uygur disavowed the statements made from Piker throughout the discussion, but noted his nephew should have a chance to explain the commentary. For his part, Piker said he used imprecise language when he declared “America deserved 9/11,” underscoring that he is “anti-war,” and suggested one could “chalk” up the apparent error “to English being [his] second language.”