Joe Rogan Voices Concern Over White House UFC Event Amid Iran Conflict
Podcaster Joe Rogan, who has previously attended UFC fights alongside President Donald Trump, has expressed strong reservations about plans to hold a mixed martial arts event at the White House during the ongoing war with Iran. Rogan described the situation as "weird" and highlighted significant security and stress concerns.
High-Profile Event Sparks Anxiety
Six bouts are scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn on June 14, commemorating America's 250th birthday and coinciding with Trump's 80th birthday. The main event will feature lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against interim champion Justin Gaethje. However, Rogan warned that if U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran continue, the UFC fights could become an easy target for attacks.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience on Wednesday, political commentator Konstantin Kisin asked Rogan about his excitement for the White House card. Rogan replied, "I'm excited. It sounds crazy. I know it's going to be very high security and high stress and weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f***ing war."
He added, "I would hope the war will be sorted out by June, but quite honestly, I'm not confident that's going to be the case. So that'll be weird — having this very high profile event where everyone's in one place at one time right there."
Public and Political Backdrop
The Trump administration has provided conflicting statements regarding the war's timeline. Trump told Axios on Wednesday that the strikes, which began nearly two weeks ago, will end "soon" because there is "practically nothing left to target." Meanwhile, the U.S. military reported hitting approximately 6,000 targets in the conflict as of Thursday.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 77% of American voters believe it is either very likely or somewhat likely that a terrorist attack could occur in the U.S. due to the Iran war. When asked about the war's duration, 18% think it will end in weeks, 32% in months, and 26% anticipate it lasting longer than a year.
Rogan's Evolving Stance on Trump
Rogan has historically been friendly with Trump, endorsing him during the 2024 election and hugging him at a UFC fight shortly after Trump's presidential victory. However, since Trump took office, Rogan has distanced himself on several issues, including immigration policies and the handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Earlier in the week, Rogan criticised the Iran war on his podcast, stating, "It just seems so insane based on what he ran on." He elaborated, "I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on 'No more wars, end these stupid, senseless wars,' and then we have one that we can't even really clearly define why we did it."
Trump has justified the strikes by claiming Iran posed an "imminent" threat due to its nuclear ambitions and missile development. However, the Quinnipiac poll indicates that 55% of American voters do not believe Iran was an imminent threat before the attacks.
