Is fighting really in our DNA? UFC CEO Dana White certainly believes so. “No matter what color you are, what country you come from, what language you speak, we like fighting.” And if there’s one man who has turned that primal instinct into a billion-dollar empire, it’s White himself. Let’s be real, only very few things can make UFC boss pause during a UFC event. A screaming knockout? Maybe. A production disaster? Unlikely. But a text from Donald J. Trump? Now, that’s enough to make the UFC boss stop mid-sentence and light up like a Christmas tree.

Forbes journalist Matt Craig was getting a ringside masterclass in UFC operations at UFC 310 when White, in the middle of explaining fight logistics, suddenly stopped. His phone buzzed. His face lit up. And then, in a moment that perfectly encapsulates just how deep White’s connections run, he read it out loud, “There are many bigger problems in the world right now that need to be fixed. I’ll catch the next fight. Tell Joe Rogan I said hi. – Donald J. Trump.”

Imagine being so embedded in the fabric of sports and culture that the President of the United States casually texts you about an event mid-fight. Craig summed it up best, “It was pretty surreal to realize that the future president was so interested in a UFC fight and how this little orbit around White now includes people like the president, several billionaires, and even the most popular podcaster on the planet, Joe Rogan.” And if anyone’s wondering how White reacted to this presidential nod? Like a kid on Christmas morning.

White’s friendship with Trump isn’t new, it goes way back to the early 2000s when the UFC was struggling, and respectable venues wouldn’t touch it. Enter Trump, who hosted the UFC’s first major events at his Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. “He got it, he liked it, and he said, ‘Come to Taj Mahal,’” UFC Head honcho recalled. “We did two events, he showed up to the first one and stayed to the last (fight).” That loyalty hasn’t faded. Even after moving back into politics, Trump has made it clear that the UFC remains on his radar. White, of course, has returned the favor by being a vocal supporter of Trump throughout his political career.

What’s even funnier? There was a brief period when White and Trump were actually MMA rivals. In 2008, Trump tried his hand at launching a competing promotion, ‘Affliction MMA.’ It flopped spectacularly. But White, ever the diplomat or best friend, brushed it off, “I’ll never say anything bad about Donald Trump. Donald Trump was good to us.” But the real kicker in all this? The Joe Rogan factor.

Is Joe Rogan the reluctant political player who finally took a side?

Trump’s message wasn’t just a casual check-in. It was a calculated nod to one of the most influential voices in media. White has long understood Rogan’s pull, which is why he practically hounded him to endorse Trump. “I was like, ‘You have to endorse him,’” White admitted. “‘Who are you voting for, Joe? Who are you voting for?’” Rogan, hesitant to mix politics and podcasting, eventually caved. The endorsement went public on November 4, the night before the election. Two weeks later, White was standing beside Trump during his victory speech, personally thanked for securing the support of Rogan and other high-profile influencers.

Let’s not pretend White is just along for the ride. He’s made a career out of turning instinct into business, first with UFC, now with his latest brainchild, Power Slap. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like, two people slapping the absolute life out of each other while millions watch in morbid fascination. Critics call it “watching traumatic brain injury in real-time,” but the creator? He calls it a goldmine. “When everybody’s saying how horrible it is, you know you’ve got something good.”

It’s the same formula that built the UFC; controversy, reality TV, and internet virality. Just like Trump mastered media outrage, White has turned skepticism into marketing fuel. “Power Slap was built on the internet,” he says, betting that it’ll be bigger than the UFC someday.

There’s a reason White and Trump remain close, they’re playing the same game. They thrive on chaos, they control their own narratives, and they always find a way to turn criticism into success. So when Trump took the time to personally text Dana White during UFC 310, it wasn’t just about the fights. It was a signal, to White, to Rogan, and to the millions watching, that this bizarre fusion of sports, politics, and media is far from over. And knowing the UFC boss, he’ll be right there in the center of it all, grinning ear to ear as his phone buzzes with the next big message.

But what do we make of this ever-expanding power web? White, once just a brash fight promoter, is now firmly seated at the table where media, politics, and business collide. The Meta board seems to have a seat waiting, his ties with the government are rock-solid, and with Elon Musk steering DOGE (the government project, not the meme coin), White’s influence only continues to grow. So, is he the ultimate puppet master, or just another player in this high-stakes game? Let us know your take in the comments below!