As part of celebrations for his 80th birthday and the country’s 250th anniversary, President Donald Trump played host to a controversial UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House yesterday.
During the event, one of the fighters made a vile remark concerning Michelle Obama, to which the billionaire politician seemingly liked, based on his reaction.
President Donald Trump previously took aim at her and her husband, Barack Obama, in a controversial clip that depicted them as apes.
Donald Trump’s Reaction To Vile Michelle Comment Revealed
Despite the weather threatening to impede proceedings at the “UFC Freedom 250” bout in the white house, there was no stopping the groove for President Donald Trump and other fans of the mixed martial arts sport.
Not even an offensive slur from one of the fighters could cause a dent in how things went. However, what was most surprising was the president’s shocking reaction to the comment.
Former NFL player and heavyweight UFC prospect Josh Hokit emerged victorious via a TKO against Derrick Lewis and was giving his victory speech when he uttered the offensive remark.
“Shout-out to Trump for having the balls to put some sh-t like this on,” Hokit told Joe Rogan in an interview, per the Daily Beast.
He then acknowledged his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” before facing the camera to say, “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?”
According to CNN, Trump “appeared to show a half-smile” seconds after Hokit’s bizarre comment. Seemingly aware of the incoming backlash, Hokit’s comment was left out of an 8-second clip the UFC shared, except for an insult directed at fellow fighter Alex Pereira’s mother.
The UFC Fighter’s Comment And Trump’s Alleged Reaction Drew Fierce Backlash
The remark by the UFC fighter drew cheers from a section of the audience, while other sections were left in bewilderment. However, the case is quite different online, where many have slammed the comments while slamming the president for condoning such a remark.
“I wouldn’t expect anything else from these low-class, bottom-of-the-barrel, trashy people,” an X user wrote, while another added, “Proves to everyone that Trump has normalized HATE. Where in the UFC was Obama relevant?”
“Imagine being this obsessed with Michelle Obama. She has done nothing to deserve this level of disrespect. Grow up and move on,” another user added.
Someone else said, “Disgusting! Decorum is so lacking in our country. She is a former First Lady of a Country I love. Just stop.”
“He is disgraceful and disgusting as was his comment, and Trump with his half smile is no better,” a TDB commenter said.
Another noted, “This is incredibly despicable. All the racists came out of the walls like cockroaches. Entitled Donny made it ok to show everyone’s racism. I’m disgusted!”
The President’s Recent Controversial Jab At Barack And Michelle Obama
Trump has thrown jabs at Obama and his wife over the years, even sharing an AI video in which they were depicted as apes. The former president reacted to the racist clip during an interview with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen, saying many Americans “find this behavior deeply troubling.”
“There doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office,” Obama said in the interview, posted on YouTube at the time.
“There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television,” Obama added, describing much of the noise around Trump’s presidency as a “distraction.”
However, the White House later blamed a staff member for “erroneously” posting the video, before deleting it.
A Lawsuit Aimed To Stop The UFC Fight
Meanwhile, Hokit’s comments weren’t the only political barb that transpired during the event.
As former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley faced Canada’s Aiemann Zahabi, the crowd became very patriotic as chants of “U-S-A!” reverberated across the location.
Spectators could be heard shouting “Canada is the 51st state!” referencing Trump’s repeated taunts of annexing its northern neighbors.
However, the fight may have never happened as just days before the event, a judge ruled against an emergency injunction brought against the fight on behalf of two Virginia residents, a Vietnam veteran and a local civic activist.
Filed by Public Integrity Project, the case requested that the event be canceled, citing a lack of approval and Trump’s personal and financial ties with Dana White and the UFC.
Why A Judge Denied The Lawsuit Against Trump’s UFC Fight On His Birthday
Judge Amit P. Mehta reportedly denied the challenge, saying the plaintiff failed to establish that they would suffer any harm should the event be allowed to go on, per the BBC.
The judge shared that the fight had been public knowledge for over a year, but the fact that the plaintiffs only decided to file earlier this month raises concern about their motive.
He also added that the late lawsuit “undercuts their claims of irreparable harm,” and that the makeshift iron structure built to host the event makes “risk of any significant environmental damage doubtful.”