Dana White Reflects on Encounter with Barack Obama During Trump’s Inauguration

This year, UFC President Dana White shared some insights about a brief conversation he had with former President Barack Obama at the inauguration of President Donald Trump back in January. They met at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, but White hadn’t discussed the moment publicly until his recent appearance on “60 Minutes.”

During the show, host Jon Wertheim prompted White to comment on fans who believe the UFC has taken a political stance. White responded candidly, saying, “I’m an American citizen. Biden was my president. Trump is my president.” He recounted sitting behind everything at the inauguration when Obama noticed him, waved, and congratulated him on his success. White expressed his gratitude, telling Obama, “Thank you, Mr. President.”

It’s interesting, really. This kind of interaction, even if brief, can have a significant impact. It seems like White has always been navigated through the political waters since he was taken aback by Trump during the former president’s first campaign back in 2016. Since then, he’s been spotted at various Republican National Conventions and Trump rallies.

White also mentioned a past invitation from Obama to watch a fight, adding some humor to the story. It’s kind of funny to think about how some assume he just said, “Yeah, buy some tickets,” but there’s always more to the story.

Despite the political mix of ideas and opinions, it seems that White continues to hope for a sense of unity. In today’s world, maybe that’s more important than ever.

Trump has, in fact, attended several UFC events, both during and after his presidency, which adds another layer to this intricate relationship between sports and politics.