Ex-UFC star speculates on Donald Trump's Matt Gaetz nomination, suggests resignation was not coincidence
A former UFC welterweight has taken to X/Twitter to share his personal thoughts on the ongoing political situation involving Matt Gaetz. The 42-year-old was previously nominated by United States president-elect Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. attorney general.
The aforementioned fighter is, of course, Jake Shields. He speculated that Gaetz's lack of ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) may have contributed to him withdrawing his name from consideration for the U.S. attorney general position and his resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives.
"Matt Gaetz was Trump's only nomination who wasn't funded by AIPAC. I'm sure him being forced to resign is just another coincidence."
Shields is no stranger to anti-Israel rhetoric, with some of his statements and claims even being labeled anti-Semitic. However, the Gaetz case is a complex one. His nomination for U.S. attorney general drew negative reactions from many in the Senate Republican Conference.
Not only did they doubt Gaetz's qualifications, but they also highlighted the former's legal issues and federal investigations, some of which involve child sex trafficking allegations. It is more likely that this is what led to his resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Regardless of the reason, Shields will continue speculating on ties between top American politicians and Israel. He is one of MMA's most prominent proponents of the conspiracy theory that Jewish elites are somehow in control of world governments, a position he has been severely criticized for having.
Other UFC fighters are also invested in Donald Trump's upcoming presidency
When Donald Trump, who previously served served as the 45th United States President, won the 2024 U.S. presidential elections to secure a second term as president, several UFC fighters took to X/Twitter to express their approval of his victory
One of them was the one-time UFC middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori.
"Done deal let's go"
Despite being Italian, Vettori was invested enough in Trump's victory to tweet out his support of him. It wouldn't come as a surprise if he hopes to one day fight at an event that Trump is present for.