Dana White isn’t one to shy away from expressing his political beliefs.
The founder and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has been an avid backer of President-elect Donald Trump since his first campaign in 2016. He’s also long railed against what he claims is a left-wing bias in the media.
But now White says he’s done with politics.
Dana White Bids Adieu to Politics
In an interview with The New Yorker published this week, White says he “want[s] nothing to do with” politics. White called it “gross” and “disgusting,” peppering his comments with profanity.
The UFC founder’s past comments and pattern of political contributions help explain why White is saying goodbye to politics.
A Friend in Need
In 2016, White endorsed Trump for president in part because of their personal relationship. Trump, he told an audience at the Republican National Convention that summer, was an early backer of the UFC, hosting its fights at the Trump Taj Mahal when other venues declined to do the same. Endorsing Trump was, in part, to repay a favor to a friend.
White would go on to speak at the RNC in 2020 and 2024 as well. This July, at the RNC in Milwaukee, just days after Trump survived an assassination bid, White proclaimed Trump as “a fighter” and the “most resilient human being that I’ve ever met in my life.”
Pattern of Contributions
Now, White has a long record of political contributions dating back to as early as 2005. Some of his money has gone to Democrats, but the vast majority — 94 percent — of his donations have gone to Republican candidates, committees, and PACs.
Analysis of White’s contributions over the years reveals significant surges during Trump’s re-election campaigns in 2020 and 2024.
White’s largest contribution by far was his $1 million donation in 2019 to the pro-Trump America First Action PAC.
In this election cycle, White’s biggest contributions may have been non-monetary. The New Yorker reports that White “played a pivotal role in brokering relationships between Trump” and podcasters popular with young men — a demographic with which Trump was able to make dramatic inroads.
What White’s Exit Means for the Republicans
Trump is ineligible for another presidential run due to constitutional term limits. White has arguably returned the favor to Trump and now has little desire to actively get in the ring again.
White, like many other businesspeople, may continue to make smaller political donations to maintain favorable relations with politicians involved in regulating his industry.
But his exit from a high-profile role in politics may be bad news for the Republican Party, suggesting that its testosterone-driven surge in 2024 may not outlast Trump.
A recent poll shows Vice President-elect JD Vance as the current Republican favorite for 2028. But Vance has little in the way of charisma. Simply put, he’s no Donald Trump.
The Globely News team tracks the leaders, states, networks, ideologies, and technologies that are reshaping the world order. From AI and electric vehicles to the rise of China, we've got you covered.