...
By Gabe Whisnant
News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Videos posted to social media Saturday night showed former President Donald Trump being greeted to a roaring, standing ovation as he entered UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey.
The event marked Trump's first public appearance since Thursday's verdict in nearby Manhattan. The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records relating to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels by Trump's then-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
Read More on U.S.
Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention begins its process of officially nominating its 2024 choice.
Trump walked into the roaring Prudential Center Saturday night flanked by UFC president and Trump supporter, Dana White. The embattled former president high-fived fans as Kid Rock's "American Badass" roared over the speakers.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan stated, "The round of applause he's getting right now is pretty staggering," as Trump entered.
...
Shawn McCreesh, a reporter for the New York Times, posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, of fans chanting "[Expletive] Joe Biden" after Trump took his seat. Immediately after, fans chanted "We Love Trump."
Saturday's UFC 302 event in New Jersey featured a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. Trump is an avid UFC fan, attending a host of events in recent years, including one as recently as March in Miami.
Newsweek emailed the Trump campaign Saturday night for a statement about Saturday's UFC appearance.
Trump's UFC appearance was met with immediate reaction on social media from both supporters and critics of the former president.
"BREAKING: Donald Trump walks into UFC 302 in New Jersey just days after being convicted 10 miles away in New York — Crowd ROARS," conservative podcaster Benny Johnson posted on X.
Donald Trump arrives at UFC 302 to thunderous applause. Crowd is electric as the man makes his way into NJ's Lightweight Championship bout. Trump loves the UFC and the UFC fans love Trump," former MMA fighter Malcolm Flex posted on X.
"UFC fight in Jersey, the libertarian convention in DC, sharing a stage at an astroturfed rally in a park in the Bronx with a guy out on bond for conspiracy to commit murder, sandwiched around 34 felony convictions, is definitely the winning formula for this election," Editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch and former federal prosecutor Ron Filipkowski posted on X.
In his battle for the White House against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, Trump has suffered losses in three separate polls since Thursday's guilty verdict in Manhattan.
However, Steven Cheung, Trump's campaign communications director, told Newsweek via email on Saturday, "President Trump has seen an outpouring support, which has led to polling increases and record-shattering fundraising numbers that include close to $53 million in just 24 hours, 30% of those who are new donors."
Cheung also mentioned a snap Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll taken after Thursday's verdict, which found that Trump's approval rating was up by 6 percentage points compared to those who disapproved.
Update: 6/1/2024, 11:40 p.m. EST: This story has been updated with additional information.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines