Dana White has disclosed that he disregarded calls from his inner circle to decline Donald Trump's request for assistance during his initial presidential campaign in 2016. In a comprehensive profile of the UFC president published by TIME Magazine on Tuesday, White explored his relationship with Trump, the upcoming UFC event at the White House, and his disdain for what he perceives as weakness in men.
Longstanding Alliance with Trump
White and Trump have been allies for decades, with the first UFC event under White's leadership taking place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001. Trump described that event as 'the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen.' Trump later asked White to speak at the Republican National Convention in 2016, where he secured the presidential nomination for the first time. Despite pleas from his inner circle to refuse, White took the stage.
'Everybody said, "Don't do it. Don't do it,"' White stated. 'It was about more than "You don't want to get into politics." The bigger one was "He's never gonna win." And I was like, "Well, whether he wins or not, the guy's been a good friend to me."'
Role in 2024 Campaign
White also played a significant role in helping Trump regain the White House in 2024. He revealed a 'philosophy' that if Trump 'stayed on Fox News, he couldn't win the election.' Instead, he gathered podcasters and influencers to expose Trump to a new audience, which propelled him back to the presidency. Trump appeared on shows with the Nelk Boys, Will Compton and Taylor Lewan of 'Bussin' with the Boys', Adin Ross, Theo Von, and notably Joe Rogan.
When asked about White's importance to the campaign against Kamala Harris, Trump replied: 'Very important. He introduced me to people I never heard of, young kids. I mean, I was being interviewed by 20-year-old kids. I'm saying, "Where the hell did you meet these people?" They're called influencers. But I did a lot. I became friendly with some of them. They're nice kids, and they do have a big audience, and everything helps.'
Unapologetically Masculine
White admits he is 'unapologetically masculine,' which aligns with his role as the mastermind behind one of the most brutal forms of entertainment in sports. He expressed no tolerance for men publicly discussing their mental health concerns.
'Talking about it publicly, I just feel like it opens the door to make young men think that it's OK to just f***ing go, "Oh, I'm having mental [health issues]." Handle it behind closed doors. Don't show that weakness to anybody.'
On the term 'toxic masculinity,' White added: 'What is toxic masculinity?… Who has it? Who's too masculine?… There's a difference between being a douchebag and being masculine. There's nothing I hate worse than men that don't act like men… so if that puts me in the manosphere, then I guess I'm in.'
Meta Board and Zuckerberg
White also holds a seat on the board of Meta, elected in January 2025. He admires the company's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, placing him 'in the same category of alpha role models as Trump, Carl Icahn, and Michael Jordan.' White expressed shock at Zuckerberg's personality: 'What I didn't realize about Mark until I got on the board,' White says, 'is Zuckerberg might be one of the biggest killers in the history of killers.'
Slapping Incident
White addressed the night he was caught on camera slapping his wife, Anne, during an argument in a club in Mexico on New Year's Eve 2022. Footage showed him appearing to say something to Anne, who reacted by slapping him. He then slapped her across the face before the fracas was broken up. In the weeks that followed, White issued a groveling apology and admitted there was 'no excuse' for his actions.
Speaking to TIME about that incident, White added: 'It's just one of those things where you have to look at yourself, blame nobody but you. How the f*** did that happen? And how do we make sure that never happens again?'
