Has 'Liver King' Been Arrested After Threatening Joe Rogan? What We Know

The social media influencer known as the "Liver King" has been arrested in Texas and charged with making a "terroristic threat," a Class B misdemeanor.

Online Austin jail records show that the "Liver King," real name Brian Johnson, 47, had been arrested and was being held at the Travis County Jail as of Wednesday.

A video on Johnson's Instagram page shows the influencer in handcuffs and police putting him into a police car.

Clara Ash, public information specialist with the Austin Police Department, confirmed to Newsweek that the Brian Johnson arrested is the Liver King, and that his arrest came after he made threatening comments over Instagram directed at media personality Joe Rogan.

Ash told Newsweek: "On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Austin Police Department (APD) detectives were notified that a subject identified as Brian Johnson, known online as 'Liver King,' had made threats against Joe Rogan on his Instagram profile.

"Detectives reviewed the posts and observed that Johnson was traveling to Austin while continuing to make threatening statements. Detectives contacted Mr. Rogan, who stated he had never had any interaction with Johnson and considered the posts to be threatening. Based on this information, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Johnson on a charge of Terroristic Threat."

Newsweek reached out to Rogan and Johnson via their respective representatives for comment.

Why It Matters

Johnson's arrest comes after he threatened to fight podcaster Joe Rogan in a series of videos, including one in which he appears to be holding guns.

The "Liver King" recently featured on a Netflix documentary, Untold: The Liver King, which explored his diet, his business, and how a man who promotes a lifestyle outside of technological devices promotes his supplement business to his 2.9 million Instagram followers.

Joe Rogan hosts one of the most popular podcasts in the world, The Joe Rogan Experience.

What To Know

In a video on June 23, the influencer said: "Joe Rogan...I'm picking a fight with you. Your rules, I'll come to you, whenever you're ready."

In another video before his arrest, Johnson challenged Rogan again, saying: "You never come across something like this, willing to die, hoping that you'll choke me out because that's a dream come true."

The "Liver King" has never been a guest on Rogan's podcast, but the latter has talked about Johnson's steroid use, according to The New York Post.

Ash told Newsweek: "At approximately 5:59 p.m., [on June 24] APD officers located Johnson at the Four Seasons Hotel located at 98 San Jacinto Boulevard and took him into custody without incident.

"He was transported to the Travis County Jail and charged with Terroristic Threat, a Class B misdemeanor."

Johnson rose to fame by promoting his "ancestral living" diet, which consists of eating raw organs, including raw liver and genitals.

In 2022, he admitted to supplementing his lifestyle with testosterone doses, despite previously saying, "I don't touch the stuff."

In his apology video, Johnson said: "I lied, and I misled a lot of people...Yes, I've done steroids, and yes, I am on steroids, monitored and managed by a trained hormone clinician."

The consequences for a Class B misdemeanor in Texas are up to 180 days in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

What People Are Saying

Clara Ash, APD public information specialist, told Newsweek: "This remains an active investigation, and there is no further information is available at this time."

Brian Johnson said in a video: "Joe Rogan, I'm calling you out, my name's Liver King. Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you. I have no training in Jiu-jitsu, you're a black belt, you should dismantle me. But I'm picking a fight with you. Your rules, I'll come to you, whenever you're ready."

What Happens Next

Johnson appears to still be in jail at the time of writing.

Update 06/25/25, 11:43 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Clara Ash, Austin Police Department public information specialist.