NEWSJoe Rogan Calls Donald Trump’s White House UFC Fight ‘Odd’ as Event Faces New Scrutiny
Joe Rogan criticized plans for the White House UFC fight card.
June 1 2026, Published 5:33 a.m. ET
Joe Rogan is not sold on the UFC’s upcoming White House spectacle.
The longtime UFC commentator and podcast host criticized UFC Freedom 250, the planned June 14 fight card on the White House South Lawn for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, calling the setup “odd” and raising concerns about heat, bugs and whether championship fights belong outdoors at all.
Joe Rogan Breaks From the Celebration
He called the event setup 'odd' and raised concerns about bugs.
“The White House thing is odd. I don’t like it,” Rogan said during the May 27 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” with former UFC fighter Josh Thomson and longtime UFC referee “Big” John McCarthy.
Rogan endorsed Trump in 2024 and remains one of the most influential voices in the UFC world.
“Here is what makes Joe Rogan's pushback on the White House UFC event so significant: he is not an outsider critic. He is the voice of the UFC. He is the commentator. He endorsed Trump in 2024,” said Amore Philip, founder of Apples and Oranges Public Relations.
Heat, Bugs and Title Fights
Dana White explored ways to manage insects on the lawn.
“I don’t like the idea of fighting outside at all,” Rogan said. “How about dehydration?” In Washington, D.C., in June, temperatures can climb past 90 degrees.
“The bugs are a big one,” he added.
UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged the gnat problem after visiting the Rose Garden, saying his production team was looking at using fans to keep insects away.
“How are they f---ing going to do anything about the bugs?” Rogan asked. “Like, how are you going to stop the bugs? Pesticide the s--t out of it?”
McCarthy joked, “That’s good, pesticides. That’s good for the fighters. That’ll help with their breathing.”
- Dana White Admits Donald Trump 'Probably' Doesn't 'Need' to Host UFC Fight at White House Amid Security Concerns — 'But It's Happening'
- Joe Rogan Shocked by Number of Americans Who Believe Trump Assassination Attempt Was 'Staged': 'Wow'
- Spencer Pratt's Los Angeles Mayoral Run: Celebrities React — From Meghan McCain to Lauren Conrad and More
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Why His Criticism Lands
Joe Rogan argued title fights belonged in controlled arenas.
“When one of the most credible voices in your own ecosystem breaks from the party line, it gives everyone else permission to say what they were already thinking,” Philip explained.
The card is expected to include a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, along with an interim title fight.
“I just don’t think that you should compete in a world championship fight in a non-controlled environment,” he said. “You wouldn’t ask them to play a world championship basketball game outside in the sun. That would be crazy.”
Authenticity Over Access
The UFC spectacle faced new scrutiny after Joe Rogan’s comments.
“Rogan built his entire brand on saying exactly what he thinks regardless of who is in the room. That is his product,” Philip said. “The moment he starts cheerleading for something he clearly has reservations about, he risks the one thing his audience gives him that no political relationship can replace: trust.”
Rogan said he would “allegedly” attend the event, but his criticism has already reshaped the conversation.
“What is interesting is that even Trump has reportedly come around to calling it a gimmick after initially pushing back on Rogan's criticism,” Philip added. “That tells you something. When the person who planned the event starts using the critic's language, the critic won the framing.”
