Donald Trump‘s son, Eric Trump, is facing intense social media mockery after purported screenshots of him texting retired UFC fighter Daniel Cormier emerged online.
The embarrassing leak allegedly showed him asking Cormier whether any of the fights at the “UFC Freedom 250” event at the White House were “rigged,” seemingly in an effort to profit from an upset.
Both men have denied the authenticity of the screenshots.
Eric Trump Dragged Into UFC DM Controversy
Eric found himself at the center of a chaotic social media storm after screenshots of an alleged DM exchange between him and Cormier leaked online.
The images appeared to show the president’s second son conversing with the UFC commentator and asking if any of the “UFC Freedom 250” fights held at the White House on Sunday, June 14, were “rigged,” while also hinting at betting on a major upset.
The unsettling images were shared from Cormier’s account alongside the caption, “I’m probably going to get a lot of flak for bringing this to light, but I refuse to stay silent.”
In the purported exchange, Eric allegedly asked Cormier for insight into the matchups, writing, “Who you got winning?” and “You placing any bets?”
He then apparently added, “I’ll just cut to the chase. Are any of the fights tomorrow rigged? I’ve been eying the Lopes fight, and I think an upset wouldn’t be too unrealistic. $$.”
Internet Users Troll Eric After Alleged Viral Leak
Several internet users trolled Eric on his Instagram account, where he had shared a photo of himself, his wife Lara Trump, and their two kids in the ring before the fight began.
Although he did not mention the DM scandal in the post, many users still took jabs at him in the comments, accusing him of seeking inside information.
“Post the betslip bro, I’m trynna come up,” one user wrote, while another asked, “Weren’t you trying to get insider information on fights???”
“Did you get any inside scoops on the fights from Daniel Cormier?” someone else penned.
One user sarcastically wrote, “Yoo twin, I heard Lopes is injured,” alongside a crying emoji.
Eric Trump Says Viral UFC Screenshots Are Fake
The post was abruptly deleted moments after it went up, but screenshots of the alleged conversation quickly went viral.
Eric was swift to deny the allegations, slamming the images as AI-fabricated.
“This is completely fake! I have never reached out to Daniel. In fact, this is scary,” he wrote on X.
Elsewhere, he added, “This did not happen. They were AI-generated. Please be careful with reporting.”
Kimberly Benza, a spokesperson for the Trump Organization, doubled down on Eric’s stance, writing on X, “These screenshots are fake. They were fabricated and do not reflect reality… Please do better before sharing misinformation.”
Cormier Also Denied Authenticity Of Viral DMs
Eric continued his attempt to distance himself from the controversy by sharing a video in which Cormier was asked about the screenshots while engaging with fans in Washington, D.C.
“Not real, I can’t believe you guys believed that,” Cormier said in the clip. “Like, who believes that? I got hacked or something. Who believes something like that? That’s crazy.”
When asked if he made the posts, Cormier added, “Why would I do that?”
Eric reposted the clip, wrote “thanks,” and tagged Cormier before sharing a New York Post article about the fighter’s denial.
Despite the statements from both men, many social media users refused to let the issue go, especially after MMA reporter Adam Martin said he had seen the post on Cormier’s page before it was taken down.
“Since I’ve gotten a few DMs about this — yes, the DC tweet was 100% real, I saw it myself,” Martin shared on X. “Others saw it. People screen captured it. DC tweeted and deleted it quickly, but people screen-grabbed it fast, too. Wonder why DC deleted it. Someone got into his ear quickly, I guess.”
Eric Trump Controversy Fuels Broader Ethics Talk
The Trump family, including the president, has repeatedly faced allegations of corruption and attempts to enrich themselves through the office of the presidency.
Last month, Trump sparked a heated debate after it was revealed that he held stocks in several American corporations totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Critics argued that the move raised ethical concerns because some of the companies have federal contracts and could benefit from his policy decisions.
At the time, Eric took to X to defend his father, saying, “To suggest that individual stocks are being bought or sold, at the discretion of any member of the Trump family, would be a lie and blatantly false.”