Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy is calling on President Donald Trump to condemn a UFC fighter for publicly insulting former first lady Michelle Obama during the White House’s UFC Freedom 250 event on Sunday evening.
“There was one moment I do think Trump has to denounce, and anybody associated with it has to denounce,” said Portnoy, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, on Monday’s episode of “Wake Up Barstool” on FS1. “And that’s that crazy fighter guy… he won the fight, he took the microphone, and he made a derogatory comment about Michelle Obama.”
Portnoy argued that since it was Trump’s idea to host the event commemorating America’s 250th birthday as well as his own 80th birthday on the White House lawn, it’s also his duty to condemn the offensive comment.
“I don’t care what you think about the Obamas or anything; that has to be an immediate denounce,” he continued. “I have no problem with the event. I guess you run that risk, because these [UFC] guys are lunatics. But that was the only thing, Trump should denounce it [and] he should say that was totally wrong.”
At the White House on Sunday, Hokit grabbed the microphone during his post-match interview with commentator Joe Rogan and blurted out with a smile, “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” Rogan smiled over Hokit’s racist and transphobic remark. Trump, who reportedly smirked, has not yet publicly condemned the comment.
UFC head Dana White was critical of Hokit’s behavior, however. “I understand that the Obama’s [sic] are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” White wrote in a text message to Time magazine. “Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.”
Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung ignored a question about the insult and celebrated Hokit’s win instead, CNN’s Jake Tapper said Monday on X.
