Donald Trump and US secretary of state Marco Rubio attended a UFC event in Miami on Saturday night while peace talks with Iran failed on the other side of the world. The president entered the Kaseya Center shortly after 9pm with family members and UFC chief Dana White, a long-time supporter.
As Trump watched the fights, Vice-President JD Vance told reporters that talks with Iran in Pakistan had collapsed. The House Democrats Foreign Affairs Committee criticised the leadership, writing on X: 'This is not serious leadership. It’s amateur hour.' Trump, however, showed no signs of concern, at one point telling Brazilian fighter Paulo Costa, 'You’re a beautiful guy… You could be a model.'
Trump has been a supporter of UFC, which has helped him build popularity among young male fans. He has announced a fight event at the White House on 14 June, his 80th birthday, to mark the US’s 250th anniversary. After Saturday’s event, White confirmed that a fight involving Josh Hokit had been added to the card at Trump’s request.
Vance stated that a major obstacle in the Iran negotiations was Tehran’s refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions. 'We need to see an affirmative commitment that [Iran] will not seek a nuclear weapon,' he said.
