Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took in a UFC event at Miami’s Kaseya Center on Saturday night, with the crowd delivering a rousing greeting as Kid Rock blasted in the background. The president entered shortly after 9pm, flanked by family members and UFC chief Dana White, a longtime supporter. Seated nearby were Rubio, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, rapper Vanilla Ice, and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino.
Trump shook hands with fans, smiled for cameras, and greeted the UFC broadcast team, including influential podcaster Joe Rogan. He showed no outward signs of concern over the Middle East conflict, focusing intently on the cage action, though he occasionally leaned over to converse with Rubio. At one point, Rubio appeared to show the president something on his phone.
As Trump watched the fights, US Vice-President JD Vance was telling reporters that peace talks with Iran in Pakistan had failed. Vance cited Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions as a major stumbling block. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that [Iran] will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said. “That is the core goal of the president of the United States, and that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations.”
Vance revealed he had spoken to Trump at least half a dozen times during the talks. Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump’s husband, was with Vance in Pakistan for the failed negotiations.
In the cage, Trump was gripped by a particularly bloody bout between Josh Hokit and Curtis Blaydes. After Paulo Costa defeated Azamat Murzakanov in the co-main event, Costa walked over to shake the president’s hand.
Trump’s family at the event included three of his children: Ivanka, Tiffany, and Donald Jr. Despite falling approval ratings and the unpopularity of the war with Iran among the American public, Trump received an enthusiastic reception from the UFC crowd.
Trump has long been a supporter of UFC, credited with helping him build popularity among the promotion’s young, male fans. He has announced a fight event at the White House on 14 June to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary, which also coincides with his 80th birthday.
After Saturday’s event, Dana White confirmed that a fight involving Josh Hokit had been added to June’s card at Trump’s request. “President Trump built half of that fight, Rogan built the other half,” White said in a social media video. “Both guys have agreed and accepted the fight.”
