The relationship between Donald Trump and Dana White traces to UFC 28, a sanctioned event held Nov. 17, 2000, at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, a casino owned by Trump. Dana White attended as the manager of fighter John Lewis and was accompanied by Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta III, who later formed Zuffa LLC. According to the account, the group discussed possibilities for a promotion the Fertittas might operate.
On Jan. 11, 2001, Zuffa purchased the UFC for $2 million and named White president. After struggling to secure venues for upcoming cards, Zuffa reached an agreement with Trump to stage UFC 30 and UFC 31 at the Taj Mahal. The first Zuffa-era event, UFC 30 on Feb. 23, 2001, featured Tito Ortiz defending his light heavyweight title. White has said Trump attended those shows, but ESPN reported it could not find visual evidence and said multiple former UFC employees disputed the account. White also told CBS’s “60 Minutes” in 2025 that venues had been reluctant to host the product, saying they “didn’t believe in it” and were worried about the crowd.
Over the following 25 years, the connection that began in Atlantic City extended into frequent appearances at UFC events and political stages. According to ESPN, Trump attended numerous UFC shows, including four while serving as president, and White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions. White told ESPN last month, “He is one of my very good friends,” adding that Trump is one of 10 people in his small circle and that their relationship has strengthened over 25 years.
That partnership reached an unusual milestone when, according to ESPN, the White House scheduled a UFC fight card for June 14 — Trump’s 80th birthday. ESPN described the planned event as unprecedented: a live professional sporting event staged on the South Lawn, with the network compiling archival material to outline the intersections of the two men’s careers.
At the time Zuffa made its early venue arrangements, Trump’s casino business was facing financial strain. PBS’s Frontline reported the Atlantic City operation posted a $133.8 million net loss for the 1999 fiscal year, and the umbrella company filed for bankruptcy twice in the following decade.
