Semi-nude photo of streamer Hasan Piker shown at Republican Party convention

A photograph of political commentator and streamer Hasan Piker in his underwear was displayed on giant screens during the first day of the US Republican Party midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Piker himself, who holds left-wing views, reacted to the appearance of his photo with surprise during a live broadcast. According to PinkNews , he ironically took the conservative party’s use of his old photo and joked that Republicans might be trying to turn Texas “blue” (i.e., voting for the Democratic Party) in this way.

The image was originally posted by Piker on his social media in November 2024 as a demonstration of fitness progress. Following the bizarre incident at the convention, interest in the streamer surged: the number of Google search queries for “Hasan Piker shirtless” increased by 5,000%.

The two-day convention in Dallas, which is primarily ceremonial in nature, is aimed at mobilizing Republican Party supporters ahead of the midterm elections. Donald Trump spoke to the event’s participants at the end of the first day.