Georgetown University has enlisted Hamas apologist and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan as a visiting fellow to lead a discussion series that "will explore the role of debate, media, and persuasion in our deeply polarized society."
As a Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service Spring 2026 Fellow, Hasan's discussion group will center on the topic "Who's Afraid of a Tough Question? Debate, Division, and Democracy in a Polarized Age." The four-week series will "challenge" students with questions like "Are calls for 'unity' and 'civility' sincere - or politically convenient?"
Hasan posted to X on Wednesday, "I'm looking forward to doing this and debating and discussing with the students. Thanks @georgetown and @GUPolitics."
Georgetown's decision to bring on Hasan follows years of the journalist making polarizing and inaccurate remarks. MSNBC canceled his show in November 2023 after he spent weeks disparaging Israel following Hamas's Oct. 7 terror attack. After leaving the network, Hasan tweeted and then deleted a post arguing that the "Gaza genocide" was "worse than a lot of previous genocides - Rwanda, even the Holocaust." As a media figure in the United Kingdom, Hasan referred to non-Muslims as "animals."
Hasan came under fire last fall after bursting into laughter at a "joke" about Rep. Brian Mast's missing legs, which the Florida Republican lost after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in September 2010 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
After leaving MSNBC, Hasan founded Zeteo, a far-left media platform that charges $12 a month to "support Mehdi's brand of accountability journalism." The online publication has featured figures like Hasan Piker, the far-left streamer who once said "America deserved 9/11" and used a Zeteo appearance to lament the United States' triumph over the USSR.
Georgetown noted in its announcement that the 2026 fellows, which also include former Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.), TikTok global head of product public policy Stephen Martinko, and three others, share "at least one thing in common — a commitment to productive dialogue."
Fellows are selected through an application process and receive a stipend in exchange for leading weekly discussion groups, holding student office hours, providing mentorship, and participating in university-sponsored programming. Previous fellows include former White House press secretary Jen Psaki, CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter, as well as conservatives like CNN analyst Scott Jennings and Fox News analyst Guy Benson.
Hasan, for his part, is set to take on a notably self-promotional role in the program.
"I have won awards for my TV and print journalism, authored a New York Times bestselling book on debate and argument, and founded a fast-growing new media company from scratch," reads the description for one of the four sessions Hasan will be leading. "How did I do it and what lessons can you learn from my journey? What advice do I have for budding journalists and content creators? How political do you want to get with me? This discussion is a very open session. Come as [sic] me anything!"
Georgetown did not respond to a request for comment.
