UFC chief Dana White has ignited a firestorm of criticism after describing the terrifying shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner as 'f***ing awesome.' The MMA mogul was seated near the head table at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night when a gunman breached a security checkpoint, leading to the immediate evacuation of President Donald Trump.
While more than 2,000 guests—including cabinet members and journalists—dove under tables for safety, White admitted he refused to follow Secret Service agents' instructions to get down. Giving his immediate reaction to USA Today, White said: 'It started to get noisy. Tables getting flipped over, guys running in with guns. They were telling me to get down, I didn't get down. It was f***ing awesome. I literally took every minute of it in. And it was pretty crazy, unique experience.'
White added: 'We were sitting right in front of where the President was. Nobody got tackled. Guys came in looking for shooters. They came over to our table. I thought the shooter was over by us or something.'
Social Media Backlash
White's reaction sparked fury and concern on social media. One user on X wrote: 'Pretty weird reaction if we're being honest.' Another commented: 'What a clown.' A third said: 'WTF is wrong with him. He seems insane.'
White was present as a guest of the President and sat at a table with representatives from Paramount Skydance, the UFC's broadcast partners. White and Trump have built a strong bond in recent years, with Trump regularly appearing at UFC events. Their friendship extends beyond the Octagon, with White frequently speaking on Trump's behalf at political rallies and national conventions. The UFC boss has long cited Trump's early support of mixed martial arts as the foundation for their loyalty.
The Incident
The dinner was barely underway when the Secret Service leaped into action after a series of shots rang out. Journalists huddled on the floor as agents rushed into the room. The suspect, identified as Allen, a teacher from Torrance, California, was tackled to the ground and handcuffed after allegedly breaking through a security checkpoint and opening fire.
Daily Mail reporters heard three to four shots and agents yelling to get down. Within seconds, President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance ducked under their table on stage. Agents from the Secret Service's Counter Assault Team (CAT) rushed the stage in black tactical gear with large rifles.
Trump later remarked: 'It was a gun and some people understood that pretty quickly and other people didn't. I was watching to see what was happening. Melania was cognizant of what happened, and I think she knew. Again the performance of the Secret Service and the police, all of law enforcement were very good. It was very quick.'
Legal Consequences
Federal prosecutors have charged Allen with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday. If convicted, Allen could face 20 years in jail for the assault, while the weapons charges carry a minimum of ten years with a possibility of life behind bars if fired.
