Mehdi Hasan Debates 20 Conservatives, Self-Described Fascist Loses Job

Los Angeles, California — Left-wing journalist Mehdi Hasan engaged in a controversial debate with 20 far-right conservatives on the YouTube series Surrounded, produced by Jubilee. The episode, published on July 20, 2025, has gone viral, accumulating nearly 4 million views within days.

During the nearly two-hour debate, one participant, Connor Estelle, openly identified as a fascist and expressed no concern about being labeled a Nazi. His statements attracted significant attention and led to his reported dismissal from a cloud engineering company. Estelle claims his termination was due to his “traditional right-wing views,” which he stated in an interview after the debate.

The debate touched on topics such as President Trump‘s actions regarding the Constitution, immigration policy, and U.S. involvement in Gaza. Hasan, who faced aggressive opposition, noted that he was surprised to confront such openly extremist views during the discussion.

Estelle, who has launched a fundraiser seeking $15,000 for emergency funds after his firing, has managed to raise more than $29,000 on a Christian crowdfunding platform. In a livestream, he asserted that his focus on “Christian, moral beliefs” resulted in being “canceled.”

Online reactions to the debate indicate a deep divide. Many viewers criticized Jubilee for giving a platform to individuals, like Estelle, who espouse extreme ideologies. A recent clip from the debate, where participants suggested Hasan should leave the U.S., garnered over 10 million views on social media.

Hasan expressed his own concerns about the debate format, stating it is essential to avoid providing “oxygen” to perspectives that deny human equality. Despite the backlash against Jubilee’s approach, the company insists their goal is to encourage challenging conversations.

In the wake of the debate, Hasan has received support from various audiences, highlighting the polarized nature of current political discourse in America.