Power games: How Donald Trump uses sporting events as a stage

It is November 16, 2024, Jon Jones has his world heavyweight title from the largest mixed martial arts fighting association UFC defended. The American cheers, he climbs onto the fence – and points to a man in the audience: front row, suit, red tie. During the subsequent interview, Jones says: “A big thank you to President Donald Trumpthat he is here today.”

Now, not every UFC fighter is as controversial as Jones – the man was suspended twice for doping and once for a hit-and-run – and hardly anyone is such an avowed Trump fan. However, it is no coincidence that this scene happened exactly that evening.

A major UFC event for Trump’s 80th birthday

For years, the Republican has made the UFC his reliable home turf. He sits in the audience at almost every title fight and does a lot of advertising on social media. In return, the association president stepped in Dana White at Trump’s side during the 2024 election campaign. UFC host Joe Rogan even gave a voting recommendation in his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” – the most listened to in the world.

Next Sunday, this “bromance” of sports and politics will culminate in an event that has never happened before: Officially on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the USA, but “coincidentally” on Trump’s 80th birthday, a pompous UFC event with three title fights will take place. A special stand for 4,000 VIPs was built in the garden of the White House. The Trump family will be there together.

The UFC works for Trump because it has the right audience: young, often apolitical men who don’t feel addressed by the political center. Martial arts actively markets itself as an anti-establishment event, Trump markets himself as an anti-establishment politician. A clean symbiosis.

Trump was booed during basketball

With other sports it is more complicated for him. On Monday, Trump became the first sitting US president to attend an NBA basketball league final game. When he was shown on screens at the New York Knicks’ home game, he received whistles and boos from fans at the legendary Madison Square Garden.

Trump’s attempts to make himself the center of attention at football events have also brought him a lot of international criticism. The summer of 2025, for example, will never be forgotten when he presented the trophy to the Chelsea FC players after the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA – and simply stayed on the podium with the winning team. Chelsea star Cole Palmer said afterwards the moment was “confusing”.

Will it be a Trump World Cup?

This is probably just a foretaste of the current World Cup. Although it opened in Mexico on Thursday, the USA is the main host and is hosting the majority of the games. Trump will certainly try to use the world’s largest sporting event for his own purposes. He will be in the stadium for the US team’s first game against Paraguay on Saturday.

It is certain that FIFA will offer Trump the opportunity to present himself. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is heavily criticized for his almost submissive appearance in Trump’s presence. The low point was the awarding of a made-up “FIFA Peace Prize” at the World Cup draw in December.

Trump, on the other hand, is anything but certain about the affection of his fans. After all, soccer is the biggest sport in the US among women and Latinos – neither of which are core Republican voter groups. And then there are the away fans – many from nations that the US President has alienated with his foreign policy.

It is therefore not unlikely that every Trump appearance at the World Cup will be accompanied by a whistle concert, meaning that the attempts at staging will backfire. But FIFA has also taken precautions for this and set ticket prices at record levels.