Dana White has built one of the most recognizable sports empires in the world, but when it comes to politics, the UFC CEO is quick to clarify where he stands. In a sit-down on Boardroom, White opened up about his friendship with President Donald Trump, what led him to speak at the Republican National Convention, and why his political awareness is something that developed much later in life.
“When he [Trump] and I became friends, I never dreamed that that guy would become the president of the United States,” White said. “That was never even a thought in my mind.”
White traced the roots of his relationship with Trump back to the early days of the UFC, when the sport was competing for legitimacy and struggling to find venues willing to host events. Trump welcomed the organization to the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City for its first and second events after White and the Fertitta brothers purchased the company.
Trump showed up from the first match of the night and stayed until the last.
“Every good thing that ever happened to me in my career from there on out, always the first guy to reach out and say, ‘Congratulations. I always knew you’d do it,'” White recalled. “And we created a friendship. We became friends.”
That friendship is what eventually led to the RNC invitation, and White was candid about how Trump approached the conversation.
“This is what he said when he called me, and this is the type of person he is,” White explained. “He’s like, ‘If you don’t want to do this, I completely understand, but I would be honored if you would speak at the Republican convention.'”
White noted how considerate Trump was about what that decision could mean for him publicly. But when pressed on his political awareness at the time, White was straightforward.
“Back then, I didn’t even know who the governor of the state was. I wasn’t into politics and I’m still really not, to be honest with you.”
