TL;DR
UFC CEO Dana White stated he doesn't care if his friendship with Donald Trump has cost him business. He emphasized wanting to work only with those he feels aligned with, regardless of potential financial losses.
UFC CEO Dana White doesnât âgive a s**tâ if his friendship with President Donald Trump has lost him business over the years as he teased the upcoming fight card at the White House.
âYouâve been openly supportive of President Trump for a long time. Has that ever cost UFC any business either domestically or abroad?â Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, asked White on her podcast on Tuesday.
âI donât give a s**t,â White declared.
He admitted heâs not sure if his association to Trump has actually spoiled business deals or lost him money, but he said he only wants to work with people heâs âalignedâ with.
âIâve gotten to a point in my life, especially after Covid and all the nutty s**t that went on during that time, that I only want to be in business with and talk to people that Iâm aligned with,â he said.
White admitted there are things the administration does he doesnât agree with, but he remains friends with the president and he doesnât feel itâs his place to cut him off or criticize him.
âAt the end of the day, my relationship with him, weâre friends. And you donât always agree with the friends on lots of things, but it doesnât mean you donât be friends with them anymore,â he said, calling Trump a âgreat guy.â
White did reveal he and Trump have one ongoing debate and itâs over which Rocky movie is the best.
âWhat we donât agree on is the best Rocky ever. We argue about that probably more than we should. Itâs kind of weird,â he said.
White also revealed the upcoming UFC event set for the White House to celebrate the countryâs 250th birthday was originally the presidentâs idea.
Trump told reporters on Friday that construction is beginning for the upcoming event, scheduled for June 14.
âItâll be about 5,000 seats. Theyâll have 100,000 people down by the Ellipse with screens, and itâs all free. Itâs gonna be great,â Trump said.
White said he and others have an allotment of tickets for the event, but it will mostly be members of the various branches of the military.
One person who will be in attendance is UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who has admitted the event sounds âcrazyâ if it happens amid an ongoing war.
âIâm excited. It sounds crazy. I know itâs going to be very high security and high stress and weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f**king war,â he on his podcast in March. âI would hope the war will be sorted out by June, but quite honestly, Iâm not confident thatâs going to be the case. So thatâll be weird. Having this very high profile event where everyoneâs in one place at one time right there.â