President Trump, some of his cabinet members, and his adviser Elon Musk, ringside in Miami late Saturday night, was the ultimate fighting championship event – a sight of violence, throbbing music and cheering crowds the president has long admired.
It was the second UFC event that Trump has attended since he was elected for the second time in November, and the first of his presidency. Unlike the entertainment events of world wrestling, UFC matches are not staged.
Trump has been a fan of the UFC fight for many years. He attended his first presidency in New York City in late 2019. He then brought UFC CEO Dana White onto the stage to speak in his victory speech on election night in 2024.
But Saturday's scene was a symbol of an increasingly encouraged, brave, brave and encouraged president, especially to carry out his agenda on immigration and crime.
Trump walked to the Kaseya Center, like the vibrant sound of Kidrock's song “American Bad Ass,” and the intense applause from the crowd. He sat next to Mr Musk, who brought one of his 14 children. They sat with FBI Director Kash Patel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former Florida senator. Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence. and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, and his wife, actress Sheryl Hines. Trump's aide was Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican.
When Trump first arrived, he tried to shake Kennedy's hand. Mr. Kennedy was looking in a different direction. Trump then moved past Hines's stretched hand, moving her completely, despite it appearing to meet her.
Ms. Hines raised her hand in confusion and looked at her husband. Kennedy brought Hines in to say hello to Trump after a while and they spoke with all their heart, but the obvious snub had already bounced off all over social media.
Trump stayed in five main card battles, lasting until about 1am on Sunday.
After the first two fights, the winner scaled the octagonal fence around the ring, opening his arms to the crowd like gladiators. Trump pointed them out, and smiled in approval. Musk reposted on X, the social media site he owns. Video of the brutal punches that California-born Dominic Reyes threw against Ukrainian fighter Nikita Krillov soon ended the match on the first night Trump witnessed.
Reyes took a photo of Trump outside the ring after the victory.
In the second fight, Arkansas-born fighter and longtime supporter of Trump's voice, Bryce Mitchell was beaten by his opponent, Brazilian Jean Silva.
Earlier this year, Mitchell faced a fire of criticism, including White, after praised Adolf Hitler as a “good man” who “fought for his country.” White called the comment “unpleasant,” but Mitchell was not punished, and White cited Free Speech as a reason. He later apologised for the comments.
Since his first Republican presidential campaign in 2016, Trump has incorporated some of his wrestling and UFC pageants into his rally, from playlists to dramatic stage entrances. Trump's 2024 campaign has led to decades of pro wrestling and UFC events making extensive use of casino ownership, and many fans have worshipped him for him.
Saturday night gave us a glimpse into the cultural and pro-Trump ecosystem that helped Trump return to his office. Joe Logan, a hugely popular podcaster who spent hours interviewing Trump at the end of the 2024 campaign, sat near Trump.
Flying the Air Force for a short flight from Palm Beach, Florida to Miami, heading to Miami before the battle, Trump attended the battle in a week-long trade war that spiraled financial markets.
“So we're going to fight,” Trump said. “We have a lot of fights around the world, and I think we'll get good news soon about some of those fights. We'll see how that goes. But it was an interesting weekend. I think there's pretty good news coming in about some of the conflict.”
