Does Dana White’s friendship with Donald Trump come at the expense of someone else’s UFC experience? In this case, that someone just happens to be Joe Biden’s granddaughter. The UFC CEO recently appeared in an interview with Time Magazine ahead of his UFC White House event, where he was questioned over his past claims of being ‘not political’ and whether hosting the upcoming Freedom 250 card on the South Lawn contradicts that position.
“Not at all. No,” White said. “Well, it’s on the birthday of America. I mean, it’s the 250th birthday of America. What better place to celebrate it than the White House? And the thing that you have to understand about me is [that] I respect whoever is the president of the United States. It isn’t about red or blue or politics for me.
“I told you a story at Madison Square Garden. [The] Secret Service had crossed paths. And apparently, Biden’s granddaughter was at the event. And when I found that out, I [told the] Secret Service, I said, ‘Bring her to me. I’d love to meet her and treat her with the respect that…’ And apparently, she had left when she heard that President Trump was coming.”
It’s not evidently clear what specific Madison Square Garden event Dana White was referring to here. There is a likelihood that he might be referring to UFC 309 in November 2024, where the then President-elect Donald Trump, accompanied by Elon Musk, made a high-profile, surprise appearance at the MSG. Walking in with the UFC CEO, Trump received a raucous reception from the crowd. However, it could also be the earlier UFC 244 in November 2019. Regardless of the event, White insisted he is not political.
“Whoever is the president of the US is my president,” White added. “I’m an American. And for me to have the ability to, especially if you look at where we came from as a sport and as a company, to be able to celebrate the 250th birthday of America at the White House on the South Lawn. And this isn’t a political statement. This event is for all Americans. And it’s about America.”
Dana White may continue insisting he’s “not political” or that the June 14 UFC Freedom 250 card carries no political undertones, but his ties to Donald Trump have long been impossible to ignore. White has repeatedly spoken in support of Trump, including appearances at the Republican National Convention and other campaign-related events.
Trump’s regular presence at major UFC events has also helped strengthen his connection with the promotion’s fan base, making the relationship mutually beneficial. And for White, that loyalty goes back years. During the UFC’s early struggles, when many venues refused to host the promotion, Trump stepped in by opening the doors of the Trump Taj Mahal to the company.
Lately, White has been on something of a media tour, appearing across interviews and podcasts while defending Trump against accusations ranging from racism to the war in Iran. At the same time, the UFC’s visibility and White’s own profile have only continued to grow alongside that alliance.
The 56-year-old may not consider it as such, but his actions to many are evidently political. And if that association wasn’t difficult enough to swallow, there is a new UFC-Trump connection that has now been brought to light.
Donald Trump purchased stocks of the company Dana White works for
According to a recent report from The Athletic, earlier this year, Donald Trump purchased stocks in TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE. Per a May 12 financial disclosure filing reviewed by the outlet, Trump bought between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of TKO stock on March 25.
The investment came barely two weeks after Dana White revealed the card for the UFC White House event on March 7. Obviously, the event has garnered significant attention. And now, critics are raising concerns, as this creates a major conflict of interest tied to Trump’s financial holdings.
“Grifting has always been an issue in Donald Trump’s presidency, but now the mask is off,” Jordan Libowitz of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics said. “Using the White House to promote a company whose stock you bought while promoting it is one of the worst conflicts of interest you could imagine.”
The White House, for its part, has rebuffed the report while clarifying that President Trump’s personal investments are handled completely by outside financial firms with little to no intervention from Trump himself. While it’s not yet confirmed whether Trump personally asked his advisors to buy TKO stocks, the connection does raise some questions, especially given the timing of the buy.
