Donald Trump was spotted drinking a popular beverage at UFC 309 as the president-elect watched on from cageside.
All eyes are on Trump following the 78-year-old’s emphatic victory in the US presidential election earlier this month, with the republican nominee defeating Democrat rival Kamala Harris to win a second term in the White House.
He is a known sports fan, particularly combat, and left his Mar-a-Lago base for New York City this weekend to enjoy the UFC’s latest show at Madison Square Garden.
UFC CEO Dana White has been a known supporter of Trump and was naturally in attendance for the event, with Trump in the crowd and speaking to the likes of Joe Rogan and other famous faces.
Joined at Madison Square Garden for the main event of Jon Jones versus Stipe Miocic by the world’s richest man Elon Musk, another backer of the president-elect, Trump sipped on a popular drink and was caught doing so by fans.
He was seen drinking Prime, the hydration brand owned by social media stars KSI and Logan Paul, with KSI sharing the video on X, which is owned by Musk.
The YouTuber took to X to share simply: ‘W Trump.’
Musk, meanwhile, was spotted drinking the lemon lime flavour, to which KSI replied: ‘W Elon.’ Prime is the official hydration partner of the UFC.
Trump was seen reaching forward for the Prime hydration Ice Pop flavour, which is one of the brand’s most popular lines. He took a sip while holding conversation with Musk.
The president-elect’s drinking habits have come under attention after Robert F Kennedy Jr, the newly-elected health secretary, revealed just days ago that Trump never drinks water and has a fast food diet that is like ‘poison’.
After dropping his own presidential ambitions to endorse Trump, Kennedy Jr said on the Joe Polish show: ‘The stuff that he eats is really, like, bad,’ he said.
‘Campaign food is always bad, but the food that goes onto that airplane is, like, just poison. You have a choice between- you don’t have the choice, you’re either given KFC or Big Macs. That’s, like, when you’re lucky, and then the rest of the stuff I consider kind of inedible.’
He added: ‘I was with Dana White the other day. He’s very close to Trump, they’ve had a relationship for 20 years through UFC.
‘He said that sometimes he’ll sit through a fight with Trump — and he’s [there for] five hours [during] the fight, and said he has never seen Trump drink a glass of water. Never.’
Trump was in a good mood inside The Garden for the event. As Village People’s YMCA blasted out the sound system inside the arena, Trump took it upon himself to have a dance, and was seen punching the air to the chorus in what was just the start of the events that unfolded.
The dance, which he has become famous for, lasted a brief few seconds, as onlookers laughed and clapped in approval of the moves.
He was then interrupted by another famous face of the combat game in WWE chief Triple H, who was also at the event watching on and approached the president-elect.
Triple H has been in charge of WWE ever since Vince McMahon’s departure, and has seen a merger with the UFC under umbrella company TKO, which took place in September last year.
He approached Trump and shook his hand, before the two ‘dapped’ – touched shoulders – and engaged in conversation.
It then became a three-way chat with Rogan, the podcast host who arguably helped the president-elect return to the White House. Rogan famously gave his endorsement to the Republican nominee earlier this month following a pair of popular podcast interviews with Elon Musk and Trump.
But that wasn’t all for Trump’s involvement with the stars. When Jones won the main event by knocking out Stipe Miocic, he singled out Trump in his celebrations.
Jones, whose future is unclear at the conclusion of the bout despite the veteran being the heavyweight champion, celebrated with ‘the Trump dance’ – recreating the boogie that has been associated with Trump.
He pointed at the president-elect and put his thumb up in his direction as Trump clapped and nodded in approval.
After leaving the cage, Jones made his way over to where Trump was sitting and handed him his heavyweight belt.
Jones then cheered, with Musk also putting his fists in the air and clapping Jones’ performance.
Trump then did his best to raise the belt, before shaking the hand of Jones, who bowed in the direction of his new president-elect, with the duo exchanging a few words.
