President-elect Donald Trump came out to a roaring ovation just before the start of the UFC’s pay-per-view card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, combining two things close to his heart: fierce battles inside the octagon and New York.
Trump was accompanied by UFC President Dana White, and the two headed to their cageside seats to listen to Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass.”
A return to Madison Square Garden meant revisiting the place where a comedian caused a sensation. at a Trump rally last month comparing Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.” Still, Trump continues to enjoy his visits to New York, where he has lived for decades, before joining his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
The UFC released a video chronicling Trump’s path to winning back the White House, calling it “a great comeback in American history,” as fans stood and applauded. Trump, wearing a red tie, raised his fist toward the crowd at the end of the video.
The president-elect also waved his clenched fists back and forth and briefly danced to the Village People’s “YMCA” just outside the cage. Later, he raised his fist to the sky again while “Takin’ Care of Business” played.
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Elon Musk, chosen by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Effectiveness, and House Speaker Mike Johnson joined the president-elect and White at the Garden, as did Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice lead the Department of Health and Human Services in its new administration and Tulsi Gabbardwhom Trump announced last week he would name as director of national intelligence. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was selected last week by the Republican Conference to be their leader of the 119th Congress, was part of the rally entourage along with Trump, Musk, RFK Jr. and Gabbard.
Trump shook hands with the UFC broadcast team that included Joe Rogan. Rogan welcomed Trump on his podcast for hours in the final stages of the campaign before his election victory last week. The pay-per-view announcers later said, “Festive doesn’t even begin to describe” the scene before later proclaiming, “47 is in the building.” Let’s go.”
The MSG crowd chanted “USA!” USA! just before the main card is about to begin, and then again throughout the action. After a year’s delay, Stipe Miocic has his chance at a third heavyweight championship reign when he faces current champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 309.
Trump is a longtime UFC enthusiast and frequent participant in major fights. He made promoting hypermasculine tones a signature of his campaign — as he sought to further widen the gap among male voters between him and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump and his core supporters embraced alpha male terms and often accentuated them with vulgar and demeaning language.
During his campaign, Trump appeared frequently on podcasts, on gaming platforms, and with key supporters who described voting for Trump as a way to demonstrate true manhood. While Trump recorded a podcast with Rogan, who himself spoke about hypermasculinity, Harris failed to make a similar appearance, citing scheduling conflicts.
Trump’s son, Don Jr., was also present at the fight.
Yasser al Rumayyan, who served under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to manage the Saudi government’s oil-rich sovereign wealth fund, was also seen at the rally alongside Trump, raising questions about possible conflicts of financial interests around Trump.
Noah Bookbinder, executive director of the nonpartisan ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told CBS News on Sunday that “while we have no idea of the nature of last night’s interactions , Donald Trump being seen with someone who both has significant potential business interests with him and plays an important role for an important foreign government illustrates the types of conflicts of interest Trump will face as president if he maintains his businesses.
Democratic Representative Jim Himes said: “Confront the nation with Margaret Brennan“It was sort of not up for debate” on Sunday that there would be conflicts of interest surrounding Trump.
“We saw Trump’s first term and the fact that this group of people was not particularly concerned about financial conflicts of interest,” Himes said. “And look, I don’t know, Elon Musk, strange character, you know, you kind of have to respect what he did to disrupt, you know, space launch, to disrupt, you know, the auto industry and so on. But, you know, the first reviews are not good.
Except for a day trip to Washington this week to meet for almost two hours with President Biden and speaking separately to House Republicans, Trump has been spending his time since his Election Day victory at Mar-a-Lago. The club hosted galas and conservative events throughout the week.
Trump has been close to White for more than two decades.
White hosted a UFC fight in 2001 at the Trump Taj Mahal, a former hotel-casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Trump has frequently attended UFC matches since, including during his campaign. 2024. Trump has recently shown up to brawls with famous entourages, including White, musician Kid Rock and former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson.
In 2018, during Trump’s first term, he and White starred in a UFC video in which the then-president was referred to as the “fighter in chief.”
As Trump has strengthened his grip on the national Republican Party over the past decade, White’s personal political profile has grown exponentially. White spoke at the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions, as well as when the party met in Milwaukee last July. He also addressed the crowd at Trump’s victory party in Florida in the early morning hours after Election Day.
“This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said then. “What you’ve seen over the last few years, this is what it looks like: I couldn’t stop him. He just keeps moving forward. He doesn’t give up.”