‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Pat Sajak Faces Criticism for Photo Days After Teasing Retirement

A photo of Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak with controversial U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene surfaced on Twitter Saturday, sparking plenty of criticism on Twitter. Sajak, 75, is a longtime Republican and hasn’t been shy about sharing his political views on Twitter, but the photo with Greene still disappointed many. The photo surfaced almost a week after Wheel began its 40th season and Sajak teased his potential retirement in the future.

On Saturday, the Twitter page PatriotTakes published an undated photo of Sajak with Greene and Right Side Broadcasting Network reporter Bryan Glenn. It’s unclear when the photo was taken. PatriotTakes, which says it is “dedicated researchers monitoring and exposing right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy,” also published screenshots of Sajak’s past controversial tweets denying climate change and calling people who oppose charter schools “racist.”

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Sajak has never been quiet about his conservative Republican positions. He has written for conservative magazines and blogs and is a supporter of Young America’s Foundation, a group that sponsors conservative speakers for college campuses. He is also on the board of trustees for the controversial Hillsdale College. During the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, Sajak alsocriticized stay-at-home orders in now-deleted tweets.

Sajak’s politics have not impeded his career as a game show host. In fact, he is now the longest-tenured gameshow host in U.S. television history. When the syndicated version of Wheel began its 40th season, he moved past The Price Is Right‘s Bob Barker on the list. He usually jokes about retirement when the subject comes up, but he seemed a bit more serious in a recent Entertainment Tonight interview.

“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” Sajak said. “It appears I may go before the show.” He later said he and co-host Vanna White were “getting near the end.”

“It’s been a long [time]. We’re not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near,” Sajak told ET. “It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We’re happy and proud.”

Sajak and White are also hosting another season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. The first episode airs on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC with rapper Snoop Dogg, The Real co-host Amanda Seales, and actor Mark Duplass. They will compete for up to $1 million to donate to their favorite charity. “I think people love seeing celebrities and watching them be themselves and not play a character,” White told ET of Celebrity Wheel. “When they come on here, they are themselves, they have a good time, they’re playing for a great cause, so it’s good for everybody.”