UFC president Dana White disclosed that President Donald Trump reached out to him just an hour before Tuesday night’s high-stakes debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
This unexpected pre-debate call sheds light on Trump’s mindset as he prepared to face off against his political rival in their first face-to-face clash of the 2024 election season.
Daily Mail reported that White, speaking to reporters while promoting his “Contender Series,” shared details of the conversation.
“He called me an hour before the debate,” White said.
“I don’t know how it went or what happened, but I know he took it seriously. He said: ‘I look at this like a heavyweight fight. I’m not taking anybody lightly.’”
The UFC boss’s comments offer a rare glimpse into Trump’s debate preparation strategy, drawing parallels between political confrontations and high-stakes combat sports.
White, who has a long-standing relationship with the former president, declined to disclose any advice he may have given Trump, stating, “I’ll keep that between me and him.”
Daily Mail noted that Trump’s approach to the debate reflects his unconventional political style, which has often been compared to his background in reality television and entertainment.
By framing the debate as a “heavyweight fight,” Trump seemingly aimed to tap into the same combative energy that has characterized his previous political performances.
The debate itself was marked by intense exchanges between Trump and Harris, with both candidates trading barbs on a range of issues.
While White admitted he hadn’t watched the debate, he commented on the perceived imbalance of the event.
“It was three to one tonight. He was facing three to one,” White claimed, referring to the ABC moderators who “fact checked” Trump on numerous occasions while letting Harris speak unchecked.
White also touched on the controversy surrounding the previous presidential debate between Trump and Joe Biden in 2020.
“First of all, it’s the second time he has had to debate,” White said. “They didn’t like how the debate turned out. They want to kick that guy [Biden] out.”
“He’s unfit to run, yet he’s still the President of the United States. Now they bring in somebody who wasn’t elected to actually be in there.”
Despite White’s support for Trump, Daily Mail highlighted that Harris was declared the winner of the debate in its snap poll.
Adding to the political intrigue, pop superstar Taylor Swift announced her endorsement of Harris following the debate, potentially influencing her vast fan base.
Daily Mail added that Trump’s relationship with the UFC dates back to the organization’s early days when mixed martial arts was still a controversial sport.
The former president hosted several UFC events at his properties, helping to legitimize the sport when it faced widespread criticism.
This long standing connection has resulted in Trump’s continued popularity among many UFC fighters and fans.
White has been an outspoken supporter of Trump, praising his resilience and patriotism.
In a recent interview with Fox News, White declared Trump “the most resilient human being I’ve ever met in my life” and defended him against accusations of racism.
White also introduced Trump at the RNC back in July.
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