Progressive streamer Hasan Piker has filed a $72.5 million defamation lawsuit against conservative commentator Scott Jennings, NBC News and The Daily Wire report. The suit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington, DC.

Piker says Jennings defamed him on an August episode of "The Scott Jennings Show." Jennings, a CNN commentator, said Piker was "calling for Black voters to be lynched," the outlets report.

The complaint says Jennings aired a clip that combined parts of three livestreams and changed the order of Piker's remarks, NBC News reports. In the 2024 stream, Piker was reacting to a debate between two Black commentators. He mocked a conservative speaker by saying, "He said, 'We need more Klansmen, okay?'"

The Daily Wire reports the clip cut the words "he said" and Piker's laughter. The suit also says Jennings added a caption with words Piker never said. The clip was first posted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, The Daily Wire reports.

"Mr. Piker has never advocated the lynching of Black Americans, or anyone else," the complaint says. Piker seeks $27.5 million in damages for harm and $45 million in punitive damages.

NBC News reports Piker's lawyers asked for a retraction in August but got no substantive response. Jennings' post was still on X with about 3 million views as of Wednesday. Jennings did not immediately respond to NBC News.

As a public figure, Piker must show actual malice to win, The Daily Wire notes. That means proving Jennings knew his claim was false or recklessly ignored the truth. Piker, a controversial figure, has been accused by Jewish groups of promoting antisemitic tropes, NBC News reports.

What we know: Piker filed a $72.5 million suit saying Jennings aired an edited clip.
What we don't: How Jennings will respond in court.