Donald Trump’s approval ratings may be at a record low amid public frustration over rising prices and the handling of the Iran conflict, but Dana White‘s public support for his longtime friend has not shifted. The UFC CEO appeared on The Breakfast Club podcast alongside hosts Charlamagne Tha God and co-hosts, where their friendship became the central topic of a pointed exchange.

“Trump is a good friend of mine,” Dana White said. “I mean, I’ve been friends with him for 25 years. I mean, he just happened to become the President of the United States. This was a guy [who] was always good to me and always treated me well, and I did it.”

Here, Charlamagne challenged White directly on whether his friendship with Trump should come with accountability.

“I can understand that, you know, that’s your friend,” Charlamagne stated. “But when your friend has a disapproval rating of 62 percent, record high, people say they don’t like his handling of the Iran war, the economy is sh—y, cost of living for people is f—– up. Why can’t you tell your friend he’s failing the people, as a friend?”

“Well, he’s the President of the United States…,” White replied. “For me to get involved in, it’s like… I’m sure people disagree with you, [who] are friends with you, and everybody has friends that you just, it doesn’t mean you’re not friends with them anymore.”

“I didn’t say you shouldn’t be friends with him anymore,” the radio host clarified. “I said why can’t you tell your friend he’s failing the people?”

He also highlighted that the people Trump is failing are the same people who have made UFC a success.

“I don’t know if I agree that he’s failing the people,” Dana White responded. “When the President is done in three years, people will look back on and realize a lot of the good things. See, I’m closer to him, too. And I see all the good things that he does.”

“But tariff inflation has increased the price of household goods, increased utility bills because household electricity costs have gone up 9%,” the host pointed out. “The failure to extend the Affordable Care Act has f—ked up people’s healthcare. Every day, working-class people who support your sport are hurting.”

“You’re never going to have a President that everybody approves 100% of everything they do,” White asserted. “And not everything is always going to be perfect. You’re going to have some things that work out great and a lot of things that don’t. We talk about a lot of things, but I don’t try to get into it.”

Dana White’s response acknowledged imperfection without conceding the broader point.

Donald Trump has been a recurring face within the UFC. He attends several events a year. Their friendship, in fact, goes so deep that Dana White gave a speech at a Trump victory rally in Washington, D.C. So, clearly, Dana White is pro-Trump and continues to support everything the president has been doing, right? Charlamagne had the same question.

Dana White denies being a ‘Trump glazer’

Later in the podcast, Charlamagne asked White whether he supports everything Trump does.

“Like I just said, you’re never going to agree with everything,” White said.

This prompted the host to urge Dana White to stop being a “glazer” and a “yes man.” However, the UFC CEO promptly denied the allegation, claiming he has never been very political. 

“I don’t think anybody’s ever accused me of being a yes man,” White said. “But listen, I’m not an overly political person either.”

When asked whether he is a pro-MAGA supporter and aligns with Donald Trump’s ideologies, White claimed he considers himself to be liberal. That’s when Charlamagne’s co-host jumped in to point out that male voters who watch the UFC are swayed by his friendship with Donald Trump.

“I’m okay with that,” White said. 

“But that gets political then,” the co-host pointed out.

This prompted Charlamagne to point out that Dana White was indirectly responsible for high tariffs and the high inflation costs. But the UFC CEO dismissed it sarcastically, appearing to accept the blame.

“I guess so,” White said. “I guess if that’s the way you want to look at it, it’s all my fault… That’s not the way I look at it, but I guess I could see why you would look at it that way, and you could frame it like that.”

White, of course, is set to host a UFC event on the White House lawn on June 14, billed as the UFC Freedom 250 card. Naturally, there’s a conflict of interest for Dana White, a staging that places him closer to the political conversation than he may prefer to acknowledge.