President Donald Trump was greeted with a standing ovation and cheers from a crowd of thousands attending a UFC event on Saturday night, where he shook hands with supporters against a backdrop of fans waving their signature MAGA hats.
Upon entering, Trump greeted podcast host Joe Rogan, who was seated to the president’s right. On Trump’s other side was Elon Musk, billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump, who paired his dark suit with a bright yellow tie, pumped his fist in the air, prompting cheers to the tune of “Taking Care of Business.”
The president brought with him several members of his administration and the White House team, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel, and former President Donald Trump. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House communications advisers Steven Cheung and Taylor Budowich. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also accompanied Trump to UFC 314.
Trump entered the arena with UFC President Dana White, a close associate for decades. He was also accompanied by his granddaughter Kai Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr.
Throughout the fight, the arena’s video screen frequently showed the president, prompting roars from the packed arena. The crowd periodically chanted “USA,” and Trump briefly danced to the Village People’s “YMCA” from his seat, rousing the crowd.
Between bouts, Trump occasionally shook hands with people who approached him and leaned in to speak with Musk, who sometimes held his son on his shoulders. However, he mostly remained seated, acknowledging and speaking with fighters who approached the ring to greet the president.
The Republican president is a longtime UFC fan and sports enthusiast, frequently attending major fights. The mixed martial arts fight at Miami’s Kaseya Center was Trump’s first visit to the UFC since taking office in January and came weeks after Trump attended the Saudi Arabia-sponsored LIV golf tournament at his Miami golf club.
In a further nod to his enthusiasm for sports, Trump has also attended the Super Bowl and the Daytona 500 since taking office. He sat cageside at a UFC championship fight in New York City last November, shortly after winning the 2024 election.
Aside from the president, the main event of UFC 314 was a championship bout in which Australian Alexander Volkanovski retained his featherweight title against Brazilian fighter Diego Lopes. It was the fourth UFC event in Miami, in a county that supported the president by approximately 11 percentage points in the November election.
The president arrived in West Palm Beach on Friday for his tenth visit to South Florida since becoming president, spending the night at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. He flew to Miami after playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach.
“You know who’s going to win? Dana White. Dana White is going to win,” Trump told reporters Saturday night aboard Air Force One.
His close affiliation with the UFC helped boost his 2024 presidential campaign among young male voters ahead of the November election, where he made promoting a hypermasculine attitude a signature of his campaign.
