Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has addressed accusations of the promotion being pro-Republican due to the presence of former President Donald Trump at its events. In a recent interview, White revealed that despite the visible camaraderie between himself and Trump, he would treat any president, former or current, with equal respect.
“If Biden came to a UFC event, I would treat Biden the same way!” White exclaimed in an interview with Yahoo Sports, referring to President Joe Biden. “If Biden was there, we would cover the fact that the President of the United States… Or if (Barack) Obama, (George) Bush, any of those guys ever came to an event, we would treat them with the same respect. If a former or standing president of the United States shows up to your event, you show them respect.”
White’s comments come in response to criticism from various quarters, suggesting that the UFC has become a platform for promoting Republican ideologies, particularly due to Trump’s frequent appearances at its events. However, the UFC CEO maintains that his treatment of political figures is not influenced by their party affiliations.
Interestingly, White disclosed that during a recent UFC event at Madison Square Garden, the secret service had informed him that Biden’s granddaughter was in attendance. Unfortunately, she left before White could meet her, as Trump was also present at the event.
“When we were at Madison Square Garden, the last time that Trump came to Madison Square Garden, two of the secret service details had passed each other, and they had said that Biden’s granddaughter was there and the secret service was there with her,” White said. “I tried to grab her. I tried to have them pull her back to my room to meet her and say, you know, thanks for coming to the event or whatever, but I guess when she heard Trump was coming, she left, which sucks. I would have liked to have met her.”
White’s statements reflect his stance on maintaining a nonpartisan approach within the UFC, treating all political figures with equal respect, regardless of their party affiliations. As the promotion continues to attract high-profile attendees, White aims to maintain a neutral and inclusive environment for all fans and guests.
