Randy Fine

Federal scrutiny of Twitch influencer Hasan Piker's trip to Cuba is justified, Rep. Randy Fine told Newsmax on Sunday.

He said that the visit points to a broader problem of foreign-funded efforts to influence American politics.

"It appears that this trip was funded by Chinese interests," the Florida Republican told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "It appears that many of these influencers that we see out there are funded by foreign interests that are simply trying to divide us as a country, to tear us apart from within, because how better to beat the greatest superpower in the history of the world than if you can get it to fight itself."

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has subpoenaed Piker, one of the biggest political streamers on Twitch, in connection with his participation in a humanitarian aid trip to Cuba in March 2026.

He is one of roughly 40 Americans now under federal investigation for similar trips to Cuba, which remains under embargo.

Fine said he thinks the trip violated U.S. sanctions on Cuba, and "it brings up a much greater point, which is the influence of foreign money in the United States."

The congressman added that he is "glad the Justice Department is doing what it's doing. This guy should be in jail."

When asked how the United States can address foreign influence efforts, Fine called for greater disclosure requirements.

"Well, we need more transparency. We need it in influencers. We need it in social media, and we need it in protesters," Fine said.

"You see 100 people on the street protesting. You assume it's regular citizens," he continued. "You find out they're being paid. It changes your perspective."

The same holds true for influencers, he said.

"You assume they must care about something," said Fine. "You find out they're paid. It changes your perspective."

Fine said lawmakers should focus on exposing funding sources behind political activity.

"We need to eliminate this weaponization by forcing the exposure of the money," he said.

The congressman also criticized media coverage of demonstrations, suggesting some outlets knowingly amplify paid activism.

"Well, I think a lot of those media outlets know that it's paid. They don't care because it feeds a narrative, and they're basically in cahoots with those who are funding it," Fine said.

"So they know someone's funding it. It creates good optics for the message that they want to push, and then they push it out there as though, oh, these are innocent civilians that just are very, very passionate about this."

Fine called foreign funding of protests, influencers, and social media campaigns "one of the greatest threats we have."

Later in the interview, hosts played a video statement from Piker responding to the investigation. Fine said the video reinforced his concerns.

"Look, Piker's basically admitting that what happened and he did it and he's worried about it," Fine said.

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