Despite recent economic turmoil, Donald Trump, flanked by his entourage of MAGA high-flyers, touched down in Miami ahead of making his grand arrival at UFC 314 Saturday night.
Trump supporter Michael Chandler’s clash against Paddy Pimblett may have been co-headlining the fight night but the president ensured that he was the main attraction as he attended the event with his high-profile White House associates.
The 78-year-old, dressed in his customary suit and a yellow tie, was captured touching down at Miami International Airport at around 8:45pm ET before heading to the Kaseya Center.
FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy Jr joined the president, while Elon Musk was spotted with his son, X Æ A-12, on his shoulders as the youngster excitedly waved his arm as they disembarked Air Force One.
Despite recent recession fears, the Commander-in-Chief brushed off backlash to his tariff controversy to make the short trip from Mar-A-Lago to Miami Saturday evening to support his friend Dana White.
Trump sent the stock market violently spiraling over his initial refusal to back down on his tariffs policy earlier this month before granting a 90-day reprieve for countries hit by higher US tariffs – except China, whose tariffs he raised to 145 percent.
Donald Trump touched down at Miami International airport ahead of attending UFC 314
The president was joined by Elon Musk, who carried his son, X Æ A-12, on his shoulders
Trump speaks to reporters during the short flight from Palm Beach to Miami for the fight
Despite the pressure of his economic decisions, Trump is expected to soak up the two hours of action from the best seats in the house before making the immediate return trip to his Florida residence.
Trump’s appearance marks his return to the octagon to support his friend Dana White, after his last trip made headlines around the world.
Trump attended UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in November, when multiple fighters did the ‘Trump Dance’ and champion Jon Jones even stepped out of the cage to give the president his winning belt after the main event.
Kennedy Jr and Gabbard were both sitting behind the president at MSG back in November, while Musk was given the front-row seat alongside Trump.
In the main fight of the evening, Australian Alexander Volkanovski is set to take on Brazil’s Diego Lopes in the featherweight title fight.
It is the penultimate fight the president will perhaps be most interested in though, with staunch Trump supporter Chandler taking on England’s Pimblett.
Chandler backed the MAGA movement throughout the election cycle and this week reiterated his fandom of the Commander-in-Chief.
‘You’re talking about a couple months of a presidency,’ Chandler told Sporting News when asked to reflect on the tariff and trade war Trump has been waging.
Trump sat alongside Musk the last time he attended a UFC event, in November
Joe Rogan jumps out of his seat to greet Donald Trump upon his arrival at UFC 309 at MSG
Trump shook hands with fighter Jon Jones at UFC 309 and made headlines around the world
‘I get it, there’s been a lot of crazy changes but it’s not really changes in the sense that we’re changing the fabric of the country.
‘We’re actually getting back to the way this country was founded, on accountability, on sovereignty, on American exceptionalism, on loving our country and loving our neighbor.
‘It’s going to make some waves, it’s going to crash the stock market a little bit for a moment, just like a thousand times in the past and we’ll see.
‘All I know is, the future looks bright and we’ve got to let things play out.’
UFC 314 is just the latest in a string of sporting events the president has attended since taking office.
He jumped on Air Force One to attend the Super Bowl back in February, went to the Daytona 500 shortly after, and more recently was in the crowd at the NCAA men’s wrestling championships in Philadelphia.
