In a long-awaited speech, UFC President Dana White offered his support to US President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention, defending the latter on various issues, while calling on Americans to re-elect POTUS.
White, a friend of Trump who supported his election in 2016, kicked off his speech by claiming that America needs a Republican president, praising Trump's achievement in the county’s economy and stating that POTUS would have done better if the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had not hit the nation.
The UFC president denounced calls to de-fund police departments in the US, after the movement emerged in the wake of nationwide anti-racism and anti-police brutality demonstrations, claiming that the move “is not the answer”.
“It blows my mind how quickly some of the leadership in this country has forgotten the critical role first responders play in our society,” White said. “Come on, America! De-funding these vital positions is not the answer. First Responders have always taken care of us. And now, more than ever, we need to take care of them”.
Dana also touched on the topic of racial and social justice in the US, suggesting that all Americans have equal rights.
“Irrespective of your gender, race, religion or sexual orientation, what unites us as a nation is freedom, equality, and opportunity. That is what it means to be an American,” the show business mogul stated.
Netizens reacted variously to the UFC president’s speech, described as “passionate” by some, with some praising his remarks, while others “fact-checked” White's claims.
“I enjoyed watching Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White passionately proclaim his support for President @realDonaldTrump this evening,” someone tweeted. “He spoke about what he witnessed firsthand about President Trump’s hard work and determination in his COVID-19 response”.
At least one Twitter user suggested White run for president of the United States “someday”.
Some users criticized White’s remarks, in particular, those defending the Trump administration’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far killed over 180,000 Americans, by far the highest death count from the disease in the world.
“Dana White is telling a lot of lies about Trump's coronavirus response,” one user wrote. “Here's one fact check: From January to March, Trump publicly downplayed the COVID threat and predicted that the virus would disappear — time that public health experts contend cost the US greatly.”