How Dana White played matchmaker for Donald Trump's Joe Rogan debut
Dana White weighed in on how he set up Donald Trump’s first appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE). The 45th POTUS made his much-anticipated debut on Joe Rogan’s podcast last month, which sparked a social media frenzy as the 2024 U.S. presidential race heated up.
Despite Rogan's previous skepticism about Trump, having stated in 2022 that he had no desire to feature the Republican politician on his podcast due to disagreements with his ideologies, the landscape shifted dramatically. As of October 2024, the tables had turned, and Trump’s guest spot on the podcast became a reality thanks to their mutual friend, White.
During a recent interview with Russell Brand, White expressed his steadfast support for Trump in the ongoing elections and revealed his role in facilitating the former US president's appearance on Rogan's show:
"He is authentic enough to go on Joe Rogan's show for three and a half hours, unscripted, and talk about anything that pops up to talk to Joe or anybody else. I pushed hard for him to do that interview because that's the setting that he needs to be in."
White further noted that Trump had the opportunity to share his perspective on the JRE, a platform he felt the former president wouldn’t find with mainstream media. He expressed confidence that both Trump and Rogan connected naturally during their conversation:
"Every time he does an interview with the mainstream media, it's all the same bullsh*t, and I knew that he and Rogan would sit down. More importantly, I knew he and Rogan would like each other. I needed to get those two together because I knew they would end up liking each other once they sat in a room together."
Check out Dana White's comments below (7:55):
How did Dana White and Donald Trump become friends?
The public friendship between Dana White and Donald Trump traces back to 2001, rooted in their shared passion for sports and business. Trump emerged as an early advocate for the UFC, frequently attending events, which laid the foundation for a solid connection with White.
During that period, the MMA promotion faced challenges in securing venues for its events. The 78-year-old politician stepped in by reaching out to the UFC and offering the Trump Taj Mahal, now known as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, as a venue.
Trump remains a regular presence at UFC events, while White frequently lends his support to the former US president during political rallies, often joined by numerous UFC fighters.