The president Donald Trump stated this Sunday that the warm welcome he received during the UFC 314 event at the Kaseya Center in Miami is a sign that his administration “is doing a good job”.
Trump, who attended the mixed martial arts event accompanied by several members of his cabinet and his granddaughter, Kai Trump, spoke with the press aboard Air Force One after the sporting event.
“It was something legendary,” the leader declared in reference to the chants of “USA!” that erupted among the crowd upon his arrival. “It is a great honor to receive that applause, because it truly shows that we are doing a good job. If we were not doing well, we would receive the opposite,” the president stated according to Fox News.
During the event, Trump sat next to the UFC CEO, Dana White, and was accompanied by key figures from his current administration such as Elon Musk, DOGE policy advisor; Kash Patel, FBI director; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services; Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence; and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
Trump's presence did not go unnoticed. The president even congratulated the fighter Dominick Reyes on his knockout victory and referred to the fighters as "warriors of the modern era."
Her granddaughter Kai, who was also present at the event, expressed her enthusiasm: “It was amazing, amazing. I thought it was incredible. This was my second fight in the UFC, and I enjoyed it a lot.”
Trump did not miss the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, Joe Biden: “I am always available, unlike Biden. Do you think Biden would give an interview at two in the morning? He wouldn’t even do it at nine in the morning.”
UFC 314 was one of the most anticipated events on the sports calendar, and with the appearance of the former president, it also became an event with a strong political undertone.
Trump, the UFC, and spectacle as politics
The ovation received by Trump at UFC 314 is not an isolated phenomenon. For years, the president has maintained a close relationship with the company and its president, Dana White, who has publicly expressed his political support for Trump.
Both have shared stages on multiple occasions, and figures from the octagon such as Jorge Masvidal have expressed admiration for the leader. Masvidal, of Cuban descent, has even stated that he feels "proud to be part of the Trump train".
In previous events, Trump has elicited mixed reactions: ranging from boos at Madison Square Garden in 2019 to enthusiastic applause like that seen this weekend in Miami.
In 2020, the then-president also declared himself a great fan of fighters like Masvidal, and in 2024 he was surprised with a honorary champion belt from Jon Jones.
The UFC environment, largely comprised of an audience that enjoys spectacle, strength, and individual competition, aligns with the symbolic codes that Trump has cultivated for years: strong leadership, unrefined masculinity, heightened patriotism, and direct engagement with the people.
From this perspective, the public's acclaim at the Kaseya Center can be seen as a staging that consolidates its narrative of success. It is less an indicator of effective management and more a reflection of the dominance it exerts over certain cultural and electoral niches.
Trump has made spectacle an inseparable part of his political communication, and events like this reaffirm his strategy of continuous presence in the public imagination.
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